Well it's been a long hiatus on work done to the car due to life changes .
I hadn't even driven it for a year and had it not been for the weekly chats with Ron and Rob ( wattsmonkey) from this parish I'm not sure if I'd have got around to continuing with plans for it. Both these guys kept my interest going and maintained a level of enthusiasm to get back to it when possible .
Earlier this year Rob asked me to join them in a celebration of a special birthday of Ron's but due to my wife now requiring full time care I could not get over to UK.
30 mins later he called back and said " if you can't come to us ,we'll come to you ....." and they did .
So early April they arrived insisting that they would help me change out the auto for a manual , I agreed but insisted that only a limited time would be spent on the work.
I prep'd the car removing all parts that would allow us unfettered access for the work to be done .
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I have to say that both of them , individually and as a pair , operate with military precision and it was a joy to be part of it .
Day one got the three speed auto out ,and new rear crankshaft seal fitted but when fitting the flywheel we encountered a problem with a missing plate that fitted beneath the flywheel bolts . nevertheless the pedal box was modified and MC installed by Rob who got into a position under the dash that I could never have contemplated ...he would then be onto the next chapter of work before I knew it .The old gearbox oil cooler pipes removed and new hydraulic line from MC to slave made and fitted .
Ron was always two steps in front with the next phase of the job already prep'd by him whilst he worked on the next segment and the correct tool was almost given to us before we asked for it . His choice in music is questionable though as he found an old ZZ Top cd and cranked up the volume to 11 .
The last auto bellhousing bolt ....
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An early AM trip to a local precision engineering company saw the machining of the elusive part required to continue fitting the flywheel ,aided by the fact that the foreman had a new 6 series and was only too keen to help.
This left us a day that I could show them around Co. Kerry .
Part collected early we got back onto it and had the flywheel/clutch/bellhousing / Clutch system and then gearbox with rebuilt linkage in by afternoon . I was continually amazed at the speed and precision of the work done .
As I had to order more parts from W&N we had got as far as we could so work was completed .
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We had achieved more than I ever hoped for in such a short time and I have to say that I enjoyed their company immensely and cannot thank them enough for re invigorating my enthusiasm again.
I hope they come back to see us again soon .
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So the work/parts required to complete is ,
Rebuild and fit prop with new centralising bearing, centre support bearing , quibo plus bolts , lock cap and plastic serrated ring.
New Clutch MC plastic nozzle and hose to brake MC , exhaust to manifold gasket, reversing switch .
Wire in reversing lights and bypass inhibit switch . Bleed clutch system .Fill gearbox with fully synthetic 75/90 GL4 .
Re fit heat shields and full exhaust .
Remove instrument binnicle and blank off PRND12 sections ,refit interior .
Can't wait .