Radeks Project

[radekp81]

I'll try capture here the build of my car as it goes along.


This is the car as I was loading it up on the trailer the day it was coming home:





The car's running on a 1968 IRS chassis, balljoint front end with discs up front and drums on the rear.  It's fitted with an EJ20 running EJ25 heads and Isuzu EJ20 inlet manifold.

After getting it home I started pulling it apart to try work out what bits I need to get.   Things that became obvious to begin with was one of the linak lifters needs repairing, the floor needs lowering, new seat rails (as the current ones were rusted and falling apart), engine needs an air filter (and possibly a rebuild since it's been running with NO AIR FILTER - WHO DOES THAT?!?).  Front left lower control (A) arm needs replacing and all the shockers need replacing as its currently fitted with the air adjustable suspension (NG for handling).  Also the body needs some light fibreglass repairs and a full respray.  Also tyres were basically slicks.  Handbrake lever was also cracked, plus the position of the gear lever and handbrake really needs to change.


...soooo the shopping and todo list grew:
- fibreglass
- paint, primer etc..
- new suspension
- new exhaust
- air filter
- redo wiring (working at a wiring harness company comes in handy for this one) and put in a nice fuse and relay box
- brace engine/gearbox better
- change rear brakes to discs
- lower floor pans
- new seat rails
- new handbrake lever
- repair roof lifters
- change the headlights to be more modern
- change mirrors to electric
- change rear taillights to be more modern
- change radio antenna to one that doesn't deform under a car cover
- change front hubs to 5-stud
- change the rims and tyres to something more modern and cleaner
- strip and retrim the interior
- reshape the dash
- create a centre console
- change the seatbelts to retractable
- replace side perspex windows
- replace front perspex headlight covers
- change boot and bonnet release to be in-car accessible
- change fuel filler cap and neck to be integrated into the body
- change the side indicators to something more modern.
- waterpump was rusted and ceased
- missing thermostat
- timing belt tensioners are not far off ceasing
 .... and anything else that comes up as I go along.



Since I'm still finishing off construction of the shed and still have to finish painting parts of the outside of the house for now I'll focus on keeping an eye out for bits and pieces for the build (which'll mean I can progress it quite quickly once I have the time to really get stuck into it).

I'll keep this post updated - first step: Acquiring parts.

[The Metalsmith]

LOL!
         Your to-do list reads like most new project reeks! Be thankful you have a decent base car to work with. You work in a wiring place? Be sure to show me the fuse box you end up useing please.

     Simon

[radekp81]

Hi Simon,
Yeah I work at Sumitomo Wiring Systems (though I'm in the electronics dept [software eng] rather than wiring).  Anyway I managed to find a small fuse box (not sure what car it was intended for), plus a couple relay holders and enclosures (again not sure what car, most likely Falcon or Territory), while my brother also had a spare soarer fuse/relay box laying around.  I'm just trying to decide what'll fit best and have the cleanest and most manageable finish.

Here's a few pics of what I'll end up using:






Radek.

[The Metalsmith]

Good stuff mate,
                         You're basically doing the same thing as I do: find a suitable fuse box out of a production car. However I don't use the relay boxes as the wiring for a lot of the relays used is not the standard configuration and a stuff-around when wiring. And come replacement time they can be expensive. I just string together a set of relay "seats" which are available at most auto shops and use standard configuration relays off the shelf.

Now where, pray tell, are you going to mount your fuse box?

     Simon

[radekp81]

Yep, the company I work for only manufactures OEM parts so scouring through the scrap bin will mean any fuse box I find will come from a car of one description or another.  If I go with the soarer box then it'll go under the front bonnet next to the battery.  If I go with the small fuse box and small relay boxes then I'll probably try hide them in the cabin under the dash.  I'd prefer to keep everything looking as clean as possible which sways me towards the the second option.

[D4]

  Just a note Simon ect are correct use doner parts but understand a switch can convey positive and negative current to the fuses and or relays, pic's displayed indicate a front wheel drive vehicle, to use less copper wire saving money car producers decided to Earth linkage most switches in a front-wheel drive car as a light wire carrying a negative current could activate the same Relay. Purchase a good multimeter and read the instructions Ref: Ohms impedance. All the Best. 

[The Metalsmith]

Hi Dave,
             I think you might misunderstand mate. I freaking love electrics. It's both relaxing and stimulating for me because it's black or white: it either works or it doesn't. I happily rewire entire reeks quite often. And then make it look good: check out behind the dash on Bill's reek.

Electrics is the best part of building reeks for me.

     Simon

[radekp81]

Yeah likewise, I work on electronics for automotive OEM use (software engineering for things like instrument clusters, powertrain interface modules, CAN gateways and infotainment units) so the shed has a couple good multimeters and a 4-channel digital oscilloscope which gets regular use.  Re-wiring the Eureka's a bit fiddly to get things hidden and neat but electrically straight forward (though the wiring engineers at work are great at giving a few pointers for best practices in terms of mechanical layout). 

The relay/fuse box is from a rear wheel drive car (the big one which you are referring to is from a Soarer, the smaller ones from a Falcon or Territory).  I'm enjoying the re-wiring but I think I'll enjoy re-trimming the interior and working on the mechanicals and body repair and paint more as it lets me use more differing skills than what I do for a living (probably why Simon loves the electrics - a change from mechanical?).

[radekp81]

Okay the list of purchases are growing, should be able to kick it off quite quickly once I'm done with the house... If anyone wants to see pics or more details on anything then let me know (else it'd take me a while to photograph each part).

Stuff at home and ready to go include:

- electric mirrors (diablo-style) from US
- New seat rails from EMAustralia
- Noreca sports cars headlight housing
- 5" round headlight
- 3" angle-eye halo driving light
- 20m2 of automotive grade leather from ItaliaCuoi (if anyone is re-trimming their car then do yourself a favour and look into getting it from here - they are local and their prices for auto leather are about the same as most places sell auto-vinyl!!!)
- Autotechnica steering wheel
- Autotechnica handbrake cover
- Waterpump
- Thermostat
- A heap of fibreglass and resins
- Stainless rear muffler
- Ford Capri Clubsport rear lights (the round Ferrari style lights)
- Pod air filter with carbonfibre enclosure
- Reversing lights
- Reflectors for rear bar
- Electric mirror switch
- BMW-style fin antenna
- Wiring, connectors, fuse and relay box

Stuff ordered but yet to arrive
- Copper orange candy (for paint)
- Gold pearl (for paint)
- Rear blank disc conversion kit
- Front blank rotors
- KYB shocks
- Reversing camera
- Honda CBR aero-style fuel filler cap
- BMW E46 style side indicators
- Lifter is in at Linak for repair

Still a few more things to get...

Can't wait to put it all together!

[radekp81]

An update on progress -  I've been spending the last month or so re-wiring the car.  The wiring's as good as done (well the wires are in place, the finishing touches/tidying-up is still to come once I re-fit the dash).  It just looks like a mess at the moment...

I spent today making up some new brackets for the new roof lifters.  I was originally happy with my purchase, having ordered a set if SPAL IEI 8" lifters with remote control, adjustable limits and current limiting.  Well after finally giving them a go this evening it became pretty obvious that they have absolutely no chance of lifting the canopy.  All I get is "click" as the current limit kicks in...        110N lifting force just doesn't cut it (for some reason I thought they were rated at 110kg of force, not newtons dammit!).

The roof's up in the pic - but that's with the aid of my back lifting it while I press the buttons to raise it (my back actually did most of the work).   Time to find a stronger lifter!  Hmmm I see a place in Campbellfield (a stones throw away from me) sells lifters that apply 6000N of force... I'm pretty sure they should lift the roof just fine.

[CyCo]

Mate, did you end up getting your old Linaks repaired? I'm not pushing you to get Linak, get what you want, but if they're the LA30 range, with the 12s (strong) motor, they're rated at 6,000 n.

Hope you get it sorted.

 

[radekp81]

No in the end I didn't - I sent them in for repair but not only was the nylon gear worn but the motor had a burnt out coil too.  Since it was still spinning when I applied 12V I thought at least the motor was alright, but doesn't mean just some of the coils hadn't shorted (which seems to have been the case).  So basically the lifter was a throw-away.   

[radekp81]

...oh the strength of the linak was evident as the canopy arm it connected to was bent by what I can only deduct was due to the lifter being left on in the "closing" position (which would have also caused its unfortunate death) 
It took a bit of heat and force to straighten it back into shape.

 

[CyCo]

Ah, that's a damn shame. Good luck searching for replacements.

 

[radekp81]

I've put wiring and roof lifters to the side for the moment and have started working on the bodywork.  First step is to update the look of the back of the car, bringing it from the 80's into perhaps a decade ago.


So plan for the back is to redo the rear bumper, adding some vents towards the bottom, smoothing off the rest with fibreglass and having the usual indentation for the numberplate.  Car of inspiration is ~2000 model corvette.  Rear lights are from a Ford Capri Clubsprint.

Here's the bumper after a bit of shaping and filling with good old space invader to give me a base to work with for the fibreglass.  Also I'm holding the lights in place to get a better idea of what it'll look like in the end.