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Tried to fit the dash in place so that I could check the positions of the cables under it before tying them down, but found it didn't fit any more. As its wider than the bodywork, the only way to fit it is to slide one end in front of the door recess, then swing the other end into place and lift it up. However, with the side bulkhead panels fitted this is no longer possible as they block off the holes it used to go into. Thankfully, trimming a couple of inches off the ends of the dash (that aren't visible when fitted) was enough to be able to squeeze it into place.
With the dash fitted, I checked its position in relation to the cables, and then cable tied most of them in place so that they would just stretch to reach the colum stalks. A bit of the dash was trimmed from the steering column recess to allow the cables to reach.
3/12/2002
Cut out the main rhs tunnel carpet section, and then trimmed all of
the new bits to fit properly. Passed 1500 hours of work on the car,
almost 10 months after reaching 1000 hours.
4/12/2002
Trimmed a bit more around the handbrake recess in the tunnel, and
adjusted the gator to fit. Checked the fit of the new bits of tunnel
carpet in the car, and made some minor mods.
6/12/2002
While visiting my parents, I made use of my mother's sewing machine
with her help to edge some of the carpet. Vinyl strips were cut from
the roll, and then sewn onto the carpet to create a vinyl tube along
the edge with no visible stitching. This worked out much better than
expected, the main problem being stitching it evenly.
After a couple of tests on a small bit of scrap carpet, we got the black seat back and both main green side sections of carpet edged.
7/12/2002
Edged both left tunnel side sections and the main right section. Also
made the gear gator from the template.
9/12/2002
Put some pleats in the gear gator to take up the slack, edged the
right rear tunnel section, and made the handbrake gator, which was far
from easy...
14/12/2002
Checked the fit of the gators, and it seems like they are going to be
a bit to stiff to use, as the vinyl isn't very flexible even though it
seems fairly thin. Not really sure what else could be used though,
rather than expensive soft leather. In the meantime, I trimmed the
lower alloy section of the handbrake recess to give a bit more space
for the gator to bunch up under the lever.
Fitted the new clutch cable and the rubber boot that goes onto the bellhousing. Fitted the last bit of exhaust wrap to the 4th header to protect the clutch cable.
Made and fitted an alloy shield to the back seat panel above the propshaft but under the tunnel grp. This should hopefully keep any spray away from the back carpet section, which will be nipped in place by the tunnel.
Removed the carb trumpets, and started planning the airbox. Got a cardboard template for the backplate made, with all the carb holes in.
15/12/2002
Made a few more bits of the airbox template - main U shaped section
and two end caps. Radiused all other edges of the main bodywork,
getting through the gelcoat and finding more bubbles in a number of
places.
17/12/2002
Decided to change the shape of the front end of the airbox to increase
the clearance to the suspension and chassis, which included a new
tapered end cap.
19/12/2002
Radiused the outer edges of the passenger door and the boot lid. In
the process, I opened up around 40 large bubbles in the lower front
edge of the boot, just behind the roll hoops. Thankfully, there were
only a few small bubbles in the other edges, which are all a lot more
visible. I then started rubbing down the boot lid using 800 grade wet
and dry paper, getting the front and half of the top done.
20/12/2002
Finished rubbing down the top of the boot lid.
21/12/2002
Scraped down the edges of the six rear light holes. They were a right
mess to start off, with deep grooves running all the way round the
edges of the holes, but I was able to take enough off to get rid of
most of the lines. I did scrape through the gelcoat in the same place
on all 3 of the rhs lights, and opened up a few bubbles on both sides.
The driver's door was radiused, which opened up yet more bubbles in the process. The lumpy rear bodywork section was carefully scraped down to smooth it off, then it was all rubbed down with 800 grade, followed by the rest of the boot lid. Part of the boot lid top was then done with 1200 grade.
24/12/2002
Finished edging the tunnel carpet sections, getting the left rear and
the top done.
Total hours this month -
46.5
Total build hours -
1539.0
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