1970 s2 0453R Reassembly

[EuropaTC]

On the leak at the bonnet lock into the heater, the TC has a rubber seal to solve that one. The picture on my parts manual is poor but it's #16 on the diagram.

(and now probably scarcer than the gold plated ashtrays.....)

Brian

[dakazman]

  I didn’t check the availability of that rubber gasket although it was discussed.  I thought it easier to install a single item with no washers and nuts inside. Once installed you can forget about changing out a rubber membrane. Once again I have the utmost respect for members who work on their car alone.
With the windscreen in there are many two man jobs.
  I also introduced three vents in the same area that water may enter, however it will flow into the evaporator drainage tray and exit the two drain tubes that were incorporated into the under dash unit.
Dakazman

[dakazman]

    Nice day for some arts and crafts before the weather gets to hot.  Crashpad coming along
formed in the mounting flange to centerline of dash. Just  needs to be centered and glassed to crashpad.  Happy to say I kept the weight off ..see pics  I’ll need to get the wife to sew up some leather to be glued on .

  Another project is my lower stainless steel rocker covers that I cut to the shape of the rivet line.
Still need to bend in a slight bead line.
 
  Waiting on an alternator on Monday and a Weber rebuild kit April 29🥱😪
Dakazman

[dakazman]

   Doing what I can in a certain block of time. I received my alternator and a block of aluminum.
All drilled out now for just a little forming to fit both the wedge and crossflow head and seal off the water jacket. Best part it’s chromed. 😂
  Some other progress with the crashpad also. Working on the symmetry of both side curved sections.
A little more progress with my headers and headliner but nothing to post on it yet.
Dakazman

[dakazman]

  Learned another difference in the crossflow head while fabricating a alternator bracket.
While reducing its profile and comparing it to a wedge head and reducing its weight all was going fine until I went to install the Weber intake manifold. One mounting hole was different , needing the head intake side flange ground down and shaved. Then drilled a hole in the intake manifold inboard of the hole that was there.
  I had some success, one, it will block off the water jacket and mount to both wedge and crossflow head and it’s weight is below the stock bracket weight. It will need a plug below one hole that is threaded, I missed it ,🥱😡because it was on my finished head that was in a plastic bag.
Dakazman

[dakazman]

   Just about there😅
 Still need a rear brace on the alternator but that will be a plate with two holes in it and the belt adjustment bracket needs a extension.
 Tested another intake on the crossflow (single Weber downdraft) and it fit with no problems
I can still cut out a few more grams to get the piece below 500 grams .

   Now to get back to the header and compressor bracket, crashpad, headliner, etc.🤪
Dakazman

[dakazman]

    Crashpad almost complete 😅.  final cuts on vent holes and trim to within 1/2 inch of windscreen, then to get covered in leather.
  Sandy,  soon I’ll get started with those vent covers I started months ago. I got sidetracked watching a video on the crashpad and another Europa member made one out of aluminum. I really looked good.
Dakazman
   
   

[BDA]

That’s looking good!   

Are you going to cover it?

[TurboFource]

 

[dakazman]

   Thanks guys,
BDA,
  Yes, I’ll give it a try. Pfreen gave me some encouragement, his wife sewed it up his pad with a nice top stitch. I may have to ask my neighbors wife to sew it or buy my wife a new machine that puts longer stitches in.
   BTW , the headers are really coming along nicely and I’m getting use to the welder. The seeing what I’m welding is better now that I go out in full sun. Not a summer job down here.
  Dakazman

[GavinT]

[...] The seeing what I’m welding is better now that I go out in full sun.

Careful welding outside. The slightest breeze will blow the gas away.
I've used a flood light trained on the general area before.
I'm presuming you're using an auto-darkening helmet?

[dakazman]

   Yes I am using a auto darkening helmet. I will try a floodlight, but I’m not using gas yet, Trying out the flux core .030 .  Lots of cleaning afterwards.  Going to try the solid core with gas today 👍 and will use the floodlight.
  Dakazman

[dakazman]

    Tried the argon gas today with solid core , seems like it needs that co2 to penetrate deeper.
  This is where I’m at 😜.
Gavin , the gas made it worse to see anything it wasn’t as bright. The specs on the helmet at 10 setting say to go above 130 , which is to hot for the thickness of the pipe. cleanup though was very easy.
Dakazman

[BDA]

That looks like a great start! 

[GavinT]

Hi Dave,

Looking good.
Hmmm . . not sure re the gas. Do you mean you tried pure Argon?

My MIG only uses solid wire as it was acquired before flux core came about.
The most common MIG gas used here is Argon/CO2 75/25 and that always seemed to work for the non-expert me.
My primary requirement was for 1/16" wall thickness exhaust tubing and to achieve a full penetration weld.

I've not used flux core wire but from what I've seen, it seems to offer better penetration but with some spatter.
My thinking would be that penetration won't be an issue for any MIG on 1/16" wall tubing.

I usually use the thinner option wire for this tubing - 0.6mm (.030").
Did you change polarity to accommodate the solid wire?

The visibility thing is a common issue I reckon . . and my eyes are old, so that doesn't help.
I strived for some time till I realised the stock shade as fitted to my helmet was too dark. I speculated either TIG was the assumed usage spec. or the manufacturer erred on the safe side.

How did the flood light go? That was always better for me.
Then again, you get used to the lower light. It's a bit like the back seat of the car at the drive-in back in '68 . . still a struggle but with less squealing.