Well I welded up the first of the 2nd row seats last night. New welder off Chris from here works a treat.

20150221_083330.jpg


Then I've just installed it this morning

20150221_084829.jpg
 
Last edited:
20150221_121201.jpg


Just picking up the pop top

Loading with a tele handler was easy. Getting it off on my own.... should be a sod to get off on my own!!
 
The above wasnt quite what i had envisaged when vil said he was picking up a pop top.

Not the strangest place ive done a trade but close - random scrap yard in motherwell !
 
I wont argue withyou there how ever you have clearl never been to one of scotlands "new towns" - try east kilbride !
 
Oh and i hve the solution to removal....... You need to buy a telehandler ! Or at least some forks for the wee tratter
 
well its alot bigger than i was anticipating. none the less, it shall be removed tomorrow.


one way... or another ;)
 
Planning to build another 2 of the smart car 2nd row seats tomorrow. The centre one is working really well, it retains the ability to recline and it slides backwards and forwards to increase passenger room or load space as required :)
 
well today i got around to getting the pop top roof down off... the roof!...

it was loaded on by telehandler at the scrapyard and be'jesus I can see why.

Christ its heavy!

Easily 200kg+ Had an absolute nightmare getting it down off the roof by myself. Anyway its done and dragged up into the workshop and after a hernia and a sit down I started to strip it down a bit.

I can see why it weighs so much, there is so much crap underneath the trims its mad. So i started ripping bits n bobs off that arent needed. Also will be cutting off all the bits of the roof structure that arent needed. Its all 3mm steel! so damn heavy when you consider its about 9' long and 5' wide :)

not yet managed to get under the main headlining trim so i can see what wires do what as there are approx 30 ish cables going here there and everywhere under that piece. The ones i need are for the electric sunroof and the roof motors (the ones that lift it) the rest I presume are for a variety of sensors and whatnots as when in the bongo its got loads of safety rubbish to ensure you cant close the roof if someone is up there.
 
Last edited:
20150305_064704.jpg


i managed to sort some of the wiring on the pop top roof last night so i finally managed to engage the electric actuators to open it.

At least I can see where I need / can cut now to remove excess parts of the roof :)
 
well i replaced an engine mount to sort out the bad vibration at idle and RAH its now vibrating loads because all the others mounts are knackered haha.

Fitted some 33 x 12.50 general grabbers that i got at the weekend to replace the dynapros and its much nicer being on big a/t tyres instead of the mud terrains :)

thinking of ditching the old roof from the pop top (the bit of the van it came off i mean) and fitting the tent frame and electric actuators to the defender roof - thus avoiding having to bodge loads of fibreglass on to make it blend in. Itll need some work to the opening top to make that fit correctly but that will be ok as its already grp and so wont just crack the fibreglass off like the roof might.

Will also be considerably lighter!

Just orderes some 3mm plate to make up some nice brackets for my led lightbar so i can remove the old roofrack (get some more weight off the roof) and started converting one of the outer 2nd row seats into the smart car seat - its more complicated than the centre one was.
 
Just a thought. It's not the new mount causing the vibration is it..
New mounts are known for being harder than the originals thus causing more vibration. I've known people re-fit the old mounts because they said it was that bad.
OR, apparently Steve parker's sell better mounts.
 
Just a thought. It's not the new mount causing the vibration is it..
New mounts are known for being harder than the originals thus causing more vibration. I've known people re-fit the old mounts because they said it was that bad.
OR, apparently Steve parker's sell better mounts.

i think its because the old ones are failed but before the fact they were all failed helped as it was all pretty even. Now there is one more secure point its rotating around this point.

Ill change all the rest of them (they are cheap after all!) if it doesnt work ill do as you suggest :)
 
well my turbo is finally working properly! i replaced all the hoses at the weekend and its now belching out black smoke like a good un' ;)

I managed to use said ability to 'get' the annoying little woman who had pretty much blocked off the only road into tesco yesterday as she waited for her b/f to go to the cash machine, she sat there with her window down glaring at me so as my exhaust tip approached her window i gunned it and filled her bimmer with fumes. MUAHAHAHAHAHA

Tested this morning on my 74 mile commute to work and I was able to sit on the motorway at eer... the speed limit (which was amazing!!!)

Figured out that the panhord rod bushes are shot following inspection - it was getting a bit of a death wobble on between 30 - 40 mph! ordered an adjustable one (as the vehicles been lifted) so hopefully this'l sort it.

Also removed the front half of me roof rack - notably reducing the weight off the roof, and replaced the remaining engine and gearbox mounts. Its STILL rattling its nuts off. I need to check the timing to see if thats ok I think?

Adjusted the power steering and alternator belt and now I dont have to fear going through puddles - before if I hit a puddle the water would splash up onto the belts and I would lose the alternator and power steering assistance for a bit! Bit of tweaking (not twerking) and it was all sorted.

I ordered some 15mm thick stable matting to put down to reduce noise in resonating around the cab and also a nice chunk of chequer plate to cover over the sunroof. I had an issue where it cracked a while back so i replaced it. It still leaks like a sieve so i am going to remove the entire thing - plate over and paint it. And then fit a non sunroof roof lining. So it shouldnt be noticable. Then I can also fit the outlander roof console I have kicking about too to hold my CB and its got 4 lights which will be really handy for the kids as they moan about it being dark etc in the back.

Picked up a MSS side storage case cheap on ebay so thatll be going in and both the outer smart car seats for the 2nd row are almost ready to install.

Reattached the lower door seals (the rivets had failed and they were hanging down) which has improved the draught situation - a bit....

and finally got my heater working....

I'd been moaning to myself about the heaters lack of movement of air for a while. All winter in fact. Well it turns out I had bent the lever on the switch so it was only engaging the first "speed" of the fan! :doh:

Quick bend back and now I have a heater that actually blows rather than splutters pathetically at you like some councilite thats on 60 a day.

Good weekend overall!

Did find that my rear crossmember has had its day (might try and rescue it though) and that both from outriggers have a massive crack in them!!! so they will be cut out and replaced.

Got my pot grit blaster working - jesus its amazing! The cabinet I have uses alot of its pressure to pick up grit from the cabinets base (a bit like a spray gun) but the pot blaster doesnt and so retains all its pressure. It cleaned up some 100 year old cast iron sink brackets in a matter of seconds! Its going to be brilliant for helping to restore the chassis on my 110 :)
 
Last edited:

Similar threads