Crash!

[Guest timswait]

Ah, the riveter would be very useful As for rivets, I've also just bought a job lot, after all he was paying.

[Grim]

no problems, i've finished using it for the forseeable future, so you can have it as long as you like.

[Guest chris brown]

Did you replace all the aluminum rivets Andrew?

[Grim]

Did you replace all the aluminum rivets Andrew?

no, that would have been an epic mission! I just replaced the ones at the front of the passenger side wheel arch, which had rotted away completely, plus a couple of others.

I'll replace the rest as they rot, but most under the wheelarches are covered in some sealant, so have survived so far.

[Guest AWhite]

Good luck with the repairs. Personally i would have done exactly what you did with the insurance. Can be a nightmare and even if its not your fault your insurance can go up, mine did on a previous accident. When i asked why - they said that even when third party is to blame they have costs in dealing with it. Thats just wrong.

[Guest timswait]

Got the panels from RH at the weekend (or my parents did ), who were suffering from a case of E&B syndrome (inability to distinguish one's elbow from backside). Luckily my mum was on the ball when they tried to give her a left wing (Q:are you sure this is a right hand wing A:yes of course). Ten minutes later: Q: doesn't this side fit up to the car? A: Yes Q: and isn't this end the front A: yes Q: well doesn't that make it a left hand one then? A: Oh Yes In all it took and hour and half to pick up 4 panels and a tube of sealant! Then this morning I got a call from RH asking when I would be in to collect the panels I ordered last week! Business as usual at Robin Hood.

The repairs are going OK, I've got the old front and rear wings and exhaust off and started on the side panel. Actually getting the rear wing off wasn't too hard, most of the ali rivets had corroded out, I think it was staying attached more out of tradition than for any good enginnering reason. I've got some stainless ones to put it back on with. I've also been having a think about the rear suspension mounts and have come up with an improvement, more details when I've done it.

[Guest timswait]

Happy again now

Finished all the dismantling, so now I can get it back together again. After thorough Waxoyling (of the chassis and subsequently of our trousers as we rubbed on it) fitted the new side panel yesterday, and it went on perfectly! The two I cocked up in the original build have obviously paid dividends, because this one went on without the slightest crease, and actually remarkably easy!

Many thanks to Andy (Grim) for all his help and running errands to the motor factors for me

[Guest chris brown]

It's about time we had some pictures of the rebuild Tim

Sounds like it wont be long before it's back on the road.

[Guest timswait]

Here's a couple of pictures, heres the new side panel, on and formed with plenty of curve and no creases.

[Guest timswait]

And heres the new exhaust wrap and heatshield in position. I've also repacked the silencer, neatly for a change (it's so much easier to do with it off the car than crawling aroung underneath it), and I'm going to paint the pipe, it may be stainless, but it's rusting anyhow!

[Grim]

the exhaust is looking good there Tim, those studs OK?

Sorry i couldn't be much help this weekend, but if there's anything left to do later this week, give me a shout.

[Guest docter fox]

looks to be going back together nicely

[Guest timswait]

Yes the studs were fine cheers. Thanks for your help Andy, if it doesn't rain too much I should be back on the road by this weekend.

[Guest timswait]

Arrrgh! Robin Hood are a bunch of clueless monkeys :gdit: :gdit: :gdit:

The rear wing they've supplied me is a wide one (despite telling them when I ordered it "1 standard width (not wide) rear wing. Worse I only realised when I came to fit it, offered it up to the car and realised it was different to the other side :boohoo: (OK I should probably have checked first) Still at least it's not the other way round, I can at least trim it down using the old crumpled one as a template.

This means that out of the five items I got from Robin Hood, two were wrong :gdit: , at least my parents could tell left from right on the front wing and got it changed before they left the factory.

[Guest timswait]

Do I have a traget painted on my car? Or maybe an idiot magnet to stuck any idiots into the side of me?! I had my first drive since the repairs last night and within five minutes (literally!) someone else had tried to drive into me! I was going straight over a cross roads, the lights were green my way, they hadn't even just changed, a car had already gone through in front of me, and someone comes across from the left. We both do emergency stops and stop within a yard or two of each other. I'm starting to feel victimised here!

On the other hand it was brilliant to have the car back again and going for a blast in the peaks on such a nice evening was awesome, went out with Grim and a guy from Chesterfield who's name I never got!

All's going better now!