Hi All,
Thought I should introduce myself over here, my names Lee, im 24 from North West Wales. Graduated from Uni just before the summer in Computer Science. So pretty much a techno-geek but at the same time im a major petrol head, including being a hobbyist DIY mechanic, which is whats brought me here.
My current project which started just over 2 years ago with a rather impulse buy...
WP_20150907_13_19_24_Raw by LeeThr, on Flickr
A 1997 106 GTi. Bought it with the intention of turning it into a track/road rally car. I had it cheap knowing it had a few mechanical issues to resolve before driving it in anger anywhere. Perfect time to strip it down and build it up to a decent spec with no issues.
However the strip down is where the issues arose. There are a car with a fair few spots known for rusting through, and sure enough the more I stripped down and poked around the worse the problems became.
WP_20160321_19_19_54_Pro_LI by LeeThr, on Flickr
WP_20160405_13_43_57_Pro_LI by LeeThr, on Flickr
WP_20160405_13_44_05_Pro_LI by LeeThr, on Flickr
WP_20160324_23_45_12_Pro_LI by LeeThr, on Flickr
Underneath was really bad especially the chassis legs.
WP_20160413_02_23_36_Rich by LeeThr, on FlickrWP_20160413_02_24_03_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
Never the less I didn't throw in the towel, grabbed some replacements panels of what was still available/lurking in a cupboard from Peugeot and some sheet steel from a local supplier.
WP_20160414_21_06_56_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
And also bought a 1.1 cheap to butcher for panels mainly the non-sunroof roof skin and chassis legs.
Cutting them out wasn't an issue, the issue was getting the replacements back in, 1) I didn't own a welder, 2) I've never used a welder in my life.
So a visit on ebay and a trip across the coast later I had this:
WP_20161010_22_49_53_Pro by LeeThr, on Flickr
A Clarke 160EN complete with gas conversion kit.
But also around the same time I ended up buying a set of cams for it and went to collect them one afternoon from the midlands. Whilst I was there I inquired as to how come they were up for sale. Turned out the guy had them in his 106 track car, and the engine and thrown a rod out the block. So que the "what else you got for sale then?" 5 minuites down the road to the unit he had it all in storage and it was revealed he had a rolling shell up for sale. A 2002 non-sunroof shell with just over 100K less on the clocks. And with it being sat as a bare shell with no interior or engine/gearbox it was very easy to check for rust. And it was in almost perfect condition bar a couple of very very minor spots, a completely different world away from what was awaiting for me at home. Obviously this one needed an engine etc but I had all that in good order at home and could make one good one out of two. Some man maths, a few messages and a couple of weeks later it made it's way up too me, and the red shell went bye bye.
WP_20161018_13_41_04_Pro by LeeThr, on Flickr
WP_20161018_14_15_30_Pro by LeeThr, on Flickr
Then it all started again...
WP_20161025_02_55_56_Pro by LeeThr, on Flickr
A friend of mine who has a fair bit of experience welding previously gave me a hand with sorting the front end with the minor repairs and then the Motorsport prep, stitch welding strut top strengthening plates etc. But I sent it off to another friend to have it's roll cage done properly. That was a jigsaw just a bit too far beyond our capabilities, and I didn't want to be learning how to weld on the very thing that may save me should the worst ever happen (touch wood it doesn't). This is how it came back after it's vacation...
WP_20170503_19_36_14_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
WP_20170503_19_35_55_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
WP_20170503_19_35_13_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
But since it's come back my friend just hasn't been availible due to holiday and also house moving and various other projects/jobs. So i've been stuck on my own with it, and got to the point where it just wasn't going to progress any further without any more welding. So it was time to stick the mask on and use the phrase "how hard can it be"
WP_20170620_00_01_55_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
Well it turn's out this was what I could manage with my first attempt...
WP_20170620_00_09_15_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
Something that may as well have come out the rear of a bird.
So along with this
WP_20170620_00_23_36_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
and some online reading I did start to improve slightly.
WP_20170620_21_36_14_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
And a few months of sporadic practice and playing about with the welder I am slowly going in the right direction.
22886046_10155787031702173_557034318633173771_n by LeeThr, on Flickr
But there's still a lot more improvement to be had, im still very hit and miss, I either create a pile of bird **** that just needs grinding down completely. a half decent run but completely miss where I aimed to run the bead. Or occasionally I produce something half respectable for a beginner. Hence why i've found my way over here in the hope i'll be able to pick up a thing or 10 from all of you.
Sorry for the essay but now you've got all the background info
There's a build thread for the project here: http://www.106rallyeforum.com/forum2008/showthread.php?t=94997
And then flickr albums:
The original cherry rot bucket: https://flic.kr/s/aHskttxccY
The replacement moonstone: https://flic.kr/s/aHskKiXbuA
Roll Cage being fitted: https://flic.kr/s/aHskVXhSG9
Thought I should introduce myself over here, my names Lee, im 24 from North West Wales. Graduated from Uni just before the summer in Computer Science. So pretty much a techno-geek but at the same time im a major petrol head, including being a hobbyist DIY mechanic, which is whats brought me here.
My current project which started just over 2 years ago with a rather impulse buy...
WP_20150907_13_19_24_Raw by LeeThr, on Flickr
A 1997 106 GTi. Bought it with the intention of turning it into a track/road rally car. I had it cheap knowing it had a few mechanical issues to resolve before driving it in anger anywhere. Perfect time to strip it down and build it up to a decent spec with no issues.
However the strip down is where the issues arose. There are a car with a fair few spots known for rusting through, and sure enough the more I stripped down and poked around the worse the problems became.
WP_20160321_19_19_54_Pro_LI by LeeThr, on Flickr
WP_20160405_13_43_57_Pro_LI by LeeThr, on Flickr
WP_20160405_13_44_05_Pro_LI by LeeThr, on Flickr
WP_20160324_23_45_12_Pro_LI by LeeThr, on Flickr
Underneath was really bad especially the chassis legs.
WP_20160413_02_23_36_Rich by LeeThr, on FlickrWP_20160413_02_24_03_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
Never the less I didn't throw in the towel, grabbed some replacements panels of what was still available/lurking in a cupboard from Peugeot and some sheet steel from a local supplier.
WP_20160414_21_06_56_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
And also bought a 1.1 cheap to butcher for panels mainly the non-sunroof roof skin and chassis legs.
Cutting them out wasn't an issue, the issue was getting the replacements back in, 1) I didn't own a welder, 2) I've never used a welder in my life.
So a visit on ebay and a trip across the coast later I had this:
WP_20161010_22_49_53_Pro by LeeThr, on Flickr
A Clarke 160EN complete with gas conversion kit.
But also around the same time I ended up buying a set of cams for it and went to collect them one afternoon from the midlands. Whilst I was there I inquired as to how come they were up for sale. Turned out the guy had them in his 106 track car, and the engine and thrown a rod out the block. So que the "what else you got for sale then?" 5 minuites down the road to the unit he had it all in storage and it was revealed he had a rolling shell up for sale. A 2002 non-sunroof shell with just over 100K less on the clocks. And with it being sat as a bare shell with no interior or engine/gearbox it was very easy to check for rust. And it was in almost perfect condition bar a couple of very very minor spots, a completely different world away from what was awaiting for me at home. Obviously this one needed an engine etc but I had all that in good order at home and could make one good one out of two. Some man maths, a few messages and a couple of weeks later it made it's way up too me, and the red shell went bye bye.
WP_20161018_13_41_04_Pro by LeeThr, on Flickr
WP_20161018_14_15_30_Pro by LeeThr, on Flickr
Then it all started again...
WP_20161025_02_55_56_Pro by LeeThr, on Flickr
A friend of mine who has a fair bit of experience welding previously gave me a hand with sorting the front end with the minor repairs and then the Motorsport prep, stitch welding strut top strengthening plates etc. But I sent it off to another friend to have it's roll cage done properly. That was a jigsaw just a bit too far beyond our capabilities, and I didn't want to be learning how to weld on the very thing that may save me should the worst ever happen (touch wood it doesn't). This is how it came back after it's vacation...
WP_20170503_19_36_14_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
WP_20170503_19_35_55_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
WP_20170503_19_35_13_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
But since it's come back my friend just hasn't been availible due to holiday and also house moving and various other projects/jobs. So i've been stuck on my own with it, and got to the point where it just wasn't going to progress any further without any more welding. So it was time to stick the mask on and use the phrase "how hard can it be"
WP_20170620_00_01_55_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
Well it turn's out this was what I could manage with my first attempt...
WP_20170620_00_09_15_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
Something that may as well have come out the rear of a bird.
So along with this
WP_20170620_00_23_36_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
and some online reading I did start to improve slightly.
WP_20170620_21_36_14_Rich by LeeThr, on Flickr
And a few months of sporadic practice and playing about with the welder I am slowly going in the right direction.
22886046_10155787031702173_557034318633173771_n by LeeThr, on Flickr
But there's still a lot more improvement to be had, im still very hit and miss, I either create a pile of bird **** that just needs grinding down completely. a half decent run but completely miss where I aimed to run the bead. Or occasionally I produce something half respectable for a beginner. Hence why i've found my way over here in the hope i'll be able to pick up a thing or 10 from all of you.
Sorry for the essay but now you've got all the background info
There's a build thread for the project here: http://www.106rallyeforum.com/forum2008/showthread.php?t=94997
And then flickr albums:
The original cherry rot bucket: https://flic.kr/s/aHskttxccY
The replacement moonstone: https://flic.kr/s/aHskKiXbuA
Roll Cage being fitted: https://flic.kr/s/aHskVXhSG9