SA Import Beta 2000 Coupe

[Ferrit]

Tonight

Speedo cable (not fun) - there seems to be a clip that looks like the speedo cable should slot into it along with a heater hose - I will take a photo tomorrow.  Wiring is messy, stop looking at it for the time being...

Adjusted the drivers door a bit so it doesnt catch at the bottom.  I will order some new door bolts to make a better job of it.  Door check device on both sides could do with replacing.  Plus the door light switch needs a clean sometime.  I need to touch up the paint on the door edge but the touch-up I purchased is miles out colour wise.

I think I fixed my instruments with some copper tape with conductive adhesive, and low and behold it seems to work (tested out of the car).

Bearings are here, as is the 10mm brake spanner.  Taking Friday off to see if I can get it back running for Saturday

[peteracs]

Nice fix on the cluster, should last ok.

Peter

[Ferrit]

I had to do a few more.  I am missing a few lights.  They were all LED's in the old cluster and now I am not sure what direction they were fitted.  I think its far simpler to fit normal bulbs clean all the contacts and try again.  I found a new one for £250 in Italy...  another £250 

I found this white clip whist fitting my speedo cable behind the fusebox, should it be clipped in?  I am guessing the large space is for the original heater hose?

I looked on a few rebuilds here and couldnt find it on other members cars...

[Ferrit]

So late this afternoon and this evening: Instruments back in, speedo cable sorted, fusebox back, new under bonnet light in, interior almost back in, steering wheel on. 

Underneath to replace the Compensator, ready for brakes on Friday

[Ferrit]

All day today fitting the rear hubs, and removing a brake caliper at a time and cleaning up, pushing the piston in and out a bit, and repainting black from red, back in with new hoses, banjo bolts etc.  Then Bilt Hamber's all the inner wings area.

So far 3x calipers done and one back in.  So 4x nipples all good after weeks of cleaning and pluzgas and 4x hoses replaced.

Problem.  I cannot get one union off.  I have tried heat and pluzgas abck and forth and still nothing.  I will try again in the morning.  Bolt head is a mess now so its molegrips.  Question is can I cut the very end off and insert a new union bolt and re-swage with a handheld?

So the thread is M10x1.25, any ideas on the tubing size (for ordering a swage tool), either way I need one..

[SanRemo78]

Standard 3/16 pipe, a couple of unions, a hacksaw and a flare tool is all you need. Cut the pipe as close to the chewed up union as possible and remove it from the master cylinder and use it as a pattern to make the new pipe. Just don't forget the second union on the pipe before you put the second flare on.
Guy

[peteracs]

Hi Mark

Just to add to Guy's comments.

I use Copper Nickel pipe which is widely available and is what most folk use.

On the flaring tool, I had an old school one inherited from my father which was worn and a pain to use, so I bought one of these hand held tool, which work really well.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/306357430674?

Loads of different sellers both on Ebay and off of these.

The thing which I did not know when I bought mine is that there are 2 different types of flares offered. I suspect the original as per my Spider was called SAE and used on European cars at the time, not sure when but there is also a DIN flare which is what is pretty much universally used now. You will find that 99% of sellers of the fittings are for DIN, I had to look hard to find anyone who even understood the difference and the fittings are a lot more expensive as a consequence. Google the difference which is subtle, but if I was you I would go for the DIN version and you then have a wide range of suppliers and materials for the fittings. Note that the SAE and DIn flare mate with the same female ends, so the choice is yours.

Peter

[Ferrit]

Oh pants!  I have already ordered a Franklin Tools Hand Held Brake Pipe Flaring Tool AF2003 3/16 which is SAE.  I was assuming I would be safe as its going into the original MC and new pipes from Mark, plus I was going to order a couple M10x1.25 Brake union's from Mark again.  Do you think I need a DIN version instead?

This DIN and SAE is all new to me, more researching

https://353652584127257704.weebly.com/store/p1073/Brake_Union_Brass.html

[Ferrit]

https://www.carbuilder.com/products/brass-m10-x-125-single-male-brake-union

So this will be DIN and I need a DIN tool?

Annoying no mention...

[peteracs]

Hi Mark

You would have to check with them. I bought mine from Automec who also go to the NEC shows. You may have to ring to confirm which is correct, but they definitely do SAE

https://www.automec.co.uk/

Peter

[Ferrit]

Thanks Peter.

Final caliper off.  Molegrips...  Now to make a new brake pipe ASAP. 

All the nipples, banjo's and brake pipe unions, bar the one, were easily freed.  Not bad really

So three back together, handbrake adj, more Bilt Hamber and the liner in on the o/s front.  Just the one side to fit in the morning.

[Ferrit]

Rear end all torqued back up.  Front n/s caliper back in and one pipe connected.  What a relief the pipe is now out.  It is a SAE double flare, but Peter (I think) said its about the union fitting type.  So send the SAE tool back and either buy the parts and make my own c£80~90, or find someone local to make the 30cm pipe 

[peteracs]

Hi Mark

£80-£90? The tool, pipe and fittings should only come to around £20/£25.

Peter

[Ics19]

It is a SAE double flare

There's some good pics here of the various end types and unions:

https://xwebforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/soliciting-for-opinion-very-pointed-question.26464/post-220548

Surprised yours aren't DIN - perhaps cut off the union and post a close up of the end?

Something useful for next time is one of these:

https://amzn.eu/d/5E4WUsf

They grip on 3 sides so don't chew the hex like a stock mole grip or slip like a standard flare (open ended) spanner.

[Ferrit]

Tool £15, pipe £30, fittings £6, and a pipe bender £25~£30

I am going to see if Automec will make a 320mm pipe for me with 2x m10x1.25, they do list a lot.  Okay I still need a pipe bender.

Here you go @ICS19.

I have a set of those tiny little vise-grips.  To get this loose I used a lot of heat, pluz-gas and a set of 12" molegrips in the end.  This was stuck fast

[peteracs]

Hi Mark

You should be able to get the pipe for £10 and a bender for not much more, but probably simpler to get one made up for you.

Best of luck!

Peter

[Ics19]

Interesting - that union end does look rounded like a DIN, but the flare shoulder angle is more SAE, obviously seals fine and surprisingly doesn't look that compressed given the pain it was to remove.

If you go down the automec route, you'll find they supply "universal flare" ends, which appear more like double flares - had a set on the montecarlo, not a problem.  There's an overview of the ends here, not specifically automec, but the style is the same:

https://mossmotoring.com/hydraulic-pipes-with-universal-flares/

[Ferrit]

Automec are making one for me.  Here tomorrow :-)

So I could be bleeding on Wednesday.  Finally moving again... and ready for the weekend

So I have a wiper motor coming (Thank you Alan).  I was thinking an MOT...

Brakes, suspension, corrosion, lights, steering...  What else should I be checking?  I have always wondered if the jets in the carb need to be different being it lived in SA and drank SA fuel once?

I do think next is big ticket items - rad recon (£350), tyres £500+ and possibly new rear struts £500.  I will need to save for a bit

thanks for all your help and input again

Mark

[JohnFol]

So late this afternoon and this evening: Instruments back in, speedo cable sorted, fusebox back, new under bonnet light in, interior almost back in, steering wheel on. 

Underneath to replace the Compensator, ready for brakes on Friday

That's impressively bright. Any advice apart from cleaning contacts as mine could do with a few extra lumens . ..

[Ferrit]

I bought a set of background LED's from

https://www.midwest-bayless.com

When I opened my unit up there was already LED's everywhere.  I tried normal bulbs from my spare unit but didnt like it so I moved the LED's back in.  It does look a bit cold war florescent to me so suits the era