What Have I Done?

You might be wondering by now exactly what I have done. Well, as best I can, here it is.

Removed engine and manual transmission, separated, stripped engine bay, cleaned and painted.

Had hardened valve seats fitted in overhauled cylinder head, cleaned up oversize pistons (fitted 2000km beforehand), fitted new rings and seals, painted engine parts etc.

Dismantled automatic transmission from first car, lost some of the parts, removed another automatic from another free car, amalgamated the two, fitted most of a $250 overhaul kit myself, had professional help on torque convertor test, pump seal replacement and brake band adjustment. Installed new clutch discs, cleaned valve body.

Overhauled the carburettor, alternator and cooling system, including dismantling the heater and lubricating the fan motor.

Revarnished the dash panel, installed a tachometer (in clock space) and oil pressure gauge. Recess-mounted a Sony single CD head unit. Re-engineered the warning lights, overhauled switchgear.

Replaced rear wheel cylinders and brake shoes, fitted good-condition second hand calipers at the front. Overhauled CV joint with split boot, repacked bearing. Had all suspension balljoints adjusted, one replaced.

Cleaned up and swapped around various headlights, repainted trims and grille. Reconditioned front sidelight/indicator units. Fitted additional 'crystal spectrum' lights - not foglights, not driving lights, not spotlights. Best defined as 'Look at Me lights'.

Fixed up a few small dents. Installed front door speakers, rear sub box and 12" sub in rear shelf. Replaced window mechanisms, installed central locking actuators. Painted the nose of the car.

Repainted all wheels, wheel trims, found a set of Leyland logos and half a set of wheel nut covers. Repainted most of vinyl roof. Sound-proofed the doors. Fixed the main panel alignment.

Stripped the interior. Put in new underlay and carpet, fitted front and back crushed velour seats from a 1991 Honda Accord. Leather steering wheel cover, reconditioned plastics, choke, bonnet release etc. Painted door trims 'buckskin', black and brown, to try and coordinate with colours, failed, nicknamed 'Neopolitan Flavour - but black centre should be pink.'

Drove it!

Work still remaining - get central locking operational, install ammeter & amplifiers, car alarm, electric boot release, centre console illumination and trim (perhaps wood veneer?) Fluorescent boot light to be fitted (sub box goes where original light was.) Fasten some of the carpet permanently, finish trimming the rear doors. Replace light brown-painted vinyl with brown fur-stuff colour matched to the seats. Paint windscreen wipers, attach ventilation grilles and other trim items, improve appearance of windscreen seal.

Will shortly have outside of car painted professionally.

Considering overhauling spare automatic transmission valve body and installing, to correct problem of no second ratio in 'D'. In the meantime, have developed 'sporty' driving technique of selecting '2' for performance (works fine, moves off in '1') and 'D' for smoothness (20 - 140km/h with no shifts.)