05 Apr 10 .....Rear subframe and suspension wishbone fitting

 ........The first job of the day was to finish off the trimming of the heat resistant cloth that was glued to the bulkhead yesterday. I had left the most difficult job till last which was to trim around the fuel tank outlets. In the end it was not too difficult to trim with a scalpel and a single patch piece that was glued in place. Turned out ok.

Next job was to fit the fuel filler hose, breather and filler neck. The original car had no filler so I had to source a replacement from a breakers - good 'old Car Transplants. The used filler assembly came with a roll-over valve which was a bonus. A new set of hose clips were also fitted at the same time. Twin clips at each end of the large diamter filler hose and a single on the breather. I will line it all up and tighten the clips when the rear clam is trial fitted later. 

Progress was good today, so I made a start on fitting the rear sub-frame whilst I was on a roll. I had previously cleaned up the subframe with a wire brush and given it a coat of thinned down POR15 silver which gave it an original galvanized look. I put a coat of Duralac on the metal plates that go between the rear aluminium arms and the sub-frame to protect against electrolytic corrosion. 

It was a bit of a job to line up thye subframe but with a hand from my daughter Rhiannon, I managed to get the 4 lower bolts in and tightened up before realising that I had not fitted the tapping blocks that secure the roll bar stay to the subframe. So it was down to Rhiannon again to get her small arms down the longerons and hold the tapping block whilst i secured them with the 2 bolts. All that remained was to bolt the rear stay to the tapping block. Took a bit of time as the stays are 'sprung' slightly and needed to be pushed about 15mm to get the cap head bolt in the rear stay to start. It was then a case of pulling verything up equally and then torqueing up to the settings in the manual.    

    

Whilst I was on a roll, I fitted the front upper and lower wishbones, assembling them with a smear of copperslip on the new wishbone bolts from Eliseparts bought as a wishbone full car set complete with washers and new nylocs. I also fitted the rear upper wishbones. No disasters and all went together like a dream. 

A good day with lot's of progress.