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the David


Hemsley

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:ww:  Martin.   Must of been a wrench selling the Elan.     Looking at dash, it's  more akin to a Jaguar or Bentley, didn't realise S2's were like this inside.

 

Good luck with your Westfield  build :yes:

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I even fitted my fuel pump backwards despite marking an arrow on the body to avoid this and some eagle eyed person spotted it and pointed it out long before I needed it. Without this , it would have caused some hair pulling when the engine was first tried to start!

 

 

Welcome Martin!  :ww:

 

Add me to this club too Ian  :d

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Add me to this club too Ian  :d

 

I'm an honorary member - for me it was the fuel pump regulator!

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:ww:  Martin  ,  Good luck with the build !  , Have you thought about what motor is going to power David .....

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I've ordered the standard full FW kit, so a 2L Zetec. For a while I thought about taking the SDV route, but with no experience of the usual donor vehicles have shied away from that for my first build. When I've build the the David and passed the IVA, the upgrades will begin...

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  • 3 weeks later...

Not sure I've got the hang of posting photos, but here is my flickr album where the build log photos are hosted. https://flic.kr/s/aHskjuJhE7

 

DAY 1. Hired a Luton van with tail lift on Friday 28th August and made the trip up to Kingswinford. My neighbour David joined me, as he has had a keen interest and owned sports cars since his student days.

 
We were lucky with the weather and the traffic, and pulled into car park by about 10:30am. Very warm welcome from the Westfield team, fresh coffee and everything organised. I met Mark so that I could put a face to the voice that will be answering my calls for help and guidance. Chris and the team in the factory soon got started loading the van, while Judy and Simon sorted out the demonstrator so I could enjoy a test drive as the weather was perfect.
 
After checking that everything was safely strapped down we headed home. Unloading was helped greatly by my brother-in-law who came over to assist, so we soon had a garage and house packed with more bits than I had imagined. 12 pages of hand written "unpacking" notes, and a record of where I have put the bits. Not yet cross checked it all against the order and picking list, but fairly confident I have what I expected and only a few bits noted as short for delivery in the next week or so.
 
Oh, and we all agreed the lounge was only a temporary resting space for some items...
 
The body panels are now stored in the shed until needed. It's dry and large enough, I've taken care to make sure each component lies flat, otherwise they distort over time and could become difficult if not impossible to fit.
 
DAY 2. Saturday 29th Aug. Home alone today after dropping Amanda and my daughter Grace at Watford station for an early train, away for the weekend. That did not mean the day to myself, but at least I could crack on with the chores straight away (cutting the grass at 7am...). Afternoon spent unpacking and recording everything, and rapidly filling what I had thought was plenty of space in the garage. Only a dozen or so bits that I could not identify which I found encouraging!
 
 
DAY 3. Sunday 30th Aug. Again a few chores in the morning but made a start on the floor panels in the afternoon. My son William shared the drilling and I ended up doing the riveting. The riveting required a lot more force than I expected, using a manual stanley rivet tool. Vague recollection of some threads on here about the benefits of an air compressor and riveter.
 
DAY 4. Monday 31st Aug. Spent the morning with Amanda who was back from her trip north, and confessing that I had not found a better space to store the seats. Fitted the footwell bulkhead panels, drivers foot rest and passenger side footwell panel, and battery tray floor. I'm not sure I should have fitted the side footwells yet, but time will tell. I must drill the hole for the steering column tube next. Assuming that I can leave it until later to drill the access hole for filling the gearbox with oil?
 
Question... does anyone within reasonable distance of Rickmansworth have an air-compressor / rivet gun that I could borrow, or suggest alternatives. While I am confident that I can complete the work with the tool that I have, to a good quality, it is one heck of an upper body work out!
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You could borrow mine but I live in swadlincote which is about two hours away.

Maybe if it's part of your daily commute?

The offers there anyway.

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Not sure of your timescales and finished build ETA but a couple of builders on here (FW kit builders, not the bum cleavage variety) have commented on the bodywork "stiffening up" somewhat after a while making the required fitment at the rear-end somewhat of a challenge.  Certainly don't want to scare you off especially at the beginning of the exiting bit, but just be aware.

 

See

 

http://forum.wscc.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic/105071-build-thread-mega-s2000/page-35

 

post 512 onwards for eg.

 

 

Looking forward to following another build thread from the beginning.....!

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That's actually relating to ZK bodywork rather than FW; the ZK has always required a fearsome amount of lifting of the back of the tub to secure it in place. With a new green tub, it's pretty easy, with a tub that's been sat around a while it's bl**** hard, with a tub, like mine in that thread, that's essentially cured, it's impossible. Hence having to use heat to make it flex again.

 

The FW tub is different, though I couldn't tell you if its better or worse! (Never fitted one).

 

The normal advice I've given to buyers of the ZK bodywork in the past has been:*

 

Try to keep the parts at a moderate temperature, avoid exposing them to frost or extreme cold, keep them dry and out of direct sunlight. Above all, try to get on to bodywork fitting within a couple of months or so.

 

*Actually, I've usually said, don't order it till you know you'll be ready for it, or order it, but specify a realistic delivery date for when you'll be ready.

 

"New" green bodywork is just so much easier to work on, it's (sort of) softer, bends more easily, is less prone to chipping/crazing or starring. 

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Thanks for correcting Dave, and apologies Hemsley, I just remembered reading it somewhere.

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Thanks the feedback chaps.

 

After thinking it would not be too hard using the Stanley tool, I noticed yesterday that I'm suffering from some stiff bodywork, around the shoulders and forearms! 

 

Stu, thanks for your kind offer, I will give it a couple of days and then get back to you, in case a closer option comes up. I think I'll also try a set of Lazy Tongs out.

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I built my first with a hand riviter and I lost the skin of a few knuckles by the end hence the air riviter this time.

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I still have a few panels yet to put on for ease of access but I've done all of mine by hand with a pair of Tucker pop pliers, easy and it will make you strong like a thousand oxen.

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