Early HPE restoration

[peteracs]

Well the body has had nothing done to it since arriving until yesterday due to various other things going on, such as upturn in the weather, so jobs in the garden take priority as well as others such as the forum issues and sorting out and attending the NEC show.

So yesterday managed to insert some Dynax S50 into the rear chassis rails, sills and bulkhead. I still have the front chassis rails to do, but a reasonable start. I also started sorting out the bomb site called thengarden shed which has numerous boxes of parts from both the HPE and the Coupe, a lot of which needs to be put to one side as not going to be used, but I do not want to get rid of anything just yet unless it is beyond use. This will take several days due to the amount of stuff I have accumulated over the last few years.

Peter

[peteracs]

Hi

Not a lot to report, but did manage to complete the Dynax in the chassis rails and front bulkhead. Also continued with cleaning/wire wheeling/rust converting/etch priming and Hammerite painting various parts, as well as those in the photo I also had a go at the front and rear bumpers which have steel mounts and bolts for the rubber inserts. Removing the rubber inserts is not an option as the bolts are too far gone to remove. One thing I was particularly pleased with was the servo which had a fair amount of surface rust and has come up really well. This is the original off the HPE which was in better condition than the Coupe one oddly.

Peter

[Nigel]

Hi Peter,
If the rubber pieces on the bumpers are standing proud, it's
caused by rust expanding. This appears to occur mostly on the
later wrap-around type.
As you suggest, leave be if all look ok.
On mine, I was able to replace the rusty inserts with new studs and washers (welded together)
squeezed into existing apertures in the rubber, finished with some CT1.

N.

[peteracs]

Hi Nigel

Thanks, good idea. Fortunately they are not standing out. One corner you can see the rubber distorted, but at this point not worth all the heartache of taking them off especially as the worst one is on the rear which is the complete bumper in length. I have plenty of other parts to clean etc before I start putting parts back on.

Peter

[peteracs]

One thing I have done is remove the two wire meshes in the radiator surround which is where on early cars the air intake to the carb is. The mesh is so fine that the amount of air it lets in must be minimal so removing it has no downside to my mind especially as I aim to baffle this air up to the top of the engine as I am using pancake filters on the downdraft throttle bodies.

Peter

[Ferrit]

I have just read this story from start to so far.  Amazing, interesting, useful.  Car will be amazing

[SanRemo78]

Removing the mesh may be beneficial Peter, it should help force airflow through the radiator matrix. It's a modification I plan on doing on my car when I get to that stage as it worked very effectively on the Stratos replica. The car ran a little cooler than before but ultimately it's the thermostat that will control it.

[peteracs]

Hi Guy

I think it will do the opposite as it opens up a route to bypass the radiator more so than if the mesh is in place and is acting as a restriction?

Peter

[peteracs]

I have just read this story from start to so far.  Amazing, interesting, useful.  Car will be amazing

Hi Mark

Yes been an interesting if expensive journey. Still a lot of hurdles to jump, but really part of the challlenge.

Hope your car arrives in good order!

Peter