More odds 'n sods & Electrics

Spent some time painting various assorted pieces of metalwork ready for installation. This included the handbrake bracket - which now has the handbrake fitted and is now ready to go:I also started sorting out the dash loom and making the required amendments to it:

Apart from the amendments required due to my particular set up there are some changes to make to the standard loom because of the use of the Vectra steering Column. Firstly the washer is originally configured as a switched earth. With the Vectra column this becomes a switched live so the green wire to the washer needs to be replaced with an earth.

Secondly the horn relay becomes a switched live as opposed to a switched earth and the relay wiring needs to be revised as per the diagram below:

Now had I known this before I Installed the main loom and relays it would have been much easier to do bearing in mind where the relays are:So it was upside down in the footwell again to get the relays out!

Finally I sat down and worked out the wiring extensions required to fit the Vectra column switches:

Oh... and I connected up the clutch and brake hoses in the engine bay but havn't bled the systems as I'm home alone today!

Steering Column - 3

Time to have a look at the steering column shroud.

First thing to do is to take the piece of bent aluminium provided by GD and mark out and cut openings to accommodate the stalk bellows:
On reflection I should have perhaps cut the holes slightly smaller - no matter I'll just fold the leather over and behind the opening:The next step is to cut out for the ignition barrel and also a recess to clear the bottom of the lock mechanism: Then check everything for fit and adjust as necessary:Once you are happy you can then glue the leather around the aluminium shroud..... I love the smell of evostick!Note how neat the hole is around the ignition barrel:Here comes another top tip - Remove the ignition barrel and cut a slightly under size hole and then refit the ignition barrel. Now there is a trick to getting the lock barrel out and back in again.

Turn the key to position 1 - insert a 2mm allen key through the holes in the front of the mechanism (as shown below) push the allen key in and the barrel will pop out:

DO NOT TURN THE KEY IN THE BARREL OR TURN THE STEERING SHAFT

To refit the barrel take a screwdriver and inside the barrel slide the horseshoe shaped thingy as far as it will go in in the direction shown in the photo below - it may click once or twice.

Then push the barrel back in until it clicks and locks into place. If it won't go in then you haven't slid the horseshoe thingy far enough.

If anyone knows the correct terminology instead of "Thingy" then please let me know!

Then you put it all together and get:

Turned out not too bad.... and the holes around the stalk bellows are OK. You could just leave it like this.... but I'm not going to. The next step will be to change the stalks for some nice polished stainless steel ones.... but I've not got them yet.

Steering Column - 2

Spoke to GD today about the clearance between the headers and the steering shaft. Upshot is, thet's perfectly normal. The torque reaction from the engine will only increase this gap.

Knowing this, it was then a simple task to trim the intermediate shaft to the right length and trial fit all the components:

The steering column can't be fitted yet as the support frame needs to be removed in order to fit the windscreen when it arrives. So everything was removed and the intermediate shaft and column extension were painted with VHT paint:
Next, there's a bit more work that can be done on the steering column to keep me occupied.

Steering Column - 1

Got some more bits today - includng all the trim and seats - not much room in the spare bedroom now!

First of the new additions to get some attention was the steering column. After a bit of careful marking out an undersize hole was cut into the bulkhead and opened up until the column shaft fitted nicely: Just need to open the hole out to take a grommet. Having mocked-up the rest of the steering shafts it appears that the second shaft runs very close to the headers - i.e. 3-4mm. I'll have to trim the second shaft to length to check properly. I might have to change to the Euro Chassis set up with another UJ, shaft and rod end which moves the steering shafts away from the headers.

I also wished I hadn't cleaned the engine bay the other day...... its full of dust again now!

That Looks Better

Before:

After:

Plan B

Spoke to GD today and it is clear that there is still a delay with the supply of windscreens. Whilst I have been waiting for the screen, various other parts have been building up at GD for me to collect. So on Monday I'm off to get my steering column, trim (carpets, leather etc... including seats!.... bit early but I could break 'em in in the living room!) and various other bits and pieces.

This will at least allow me to progress a bit further (albeit a departure from my intended build order) ... and hopefully sod's law will dictate that on Tuesday a windscreen will arrive at GD!

In the meantime the air cleaner top is now painted..... just needs a polish when the paint has cured.

It has come to this.........!

...... nowt for it but to start painting the air cleaner. First off was a primer coat for the aluminium. Even if you wipe it off the top of the fins quickly it still marks the surface a little! Should polish out OK at the end of the day. Top coat tomorrow.

Plodding on........

Still waiting for a call re: windscreen...... in the meantime I've made a little progress.

I've fitted the throttle cable using a universal throttle cable from Venhill. These cables have a separate Teflon liner to reduce friction.... plus you can get them in different colours:

For future reference... a standard M6 quick release carb fitting fits nicely onto the Edelbrock throttle arm stud. I had to change the throttle return springs as the standard ones were a bit too strong. The throttle pedal has a nice smooth action with no jerkiness.... shame I'm missing some electrics and a fuel connection.....would be nice to start the engine again.

Please excuse the milk container - it is holding the ends of the braided fluid hoses to avoid drips. I wasn't going to connect then until after the steering column was fitted just give a bit of room.

I have also been thinking ahead regarding the dash layout and the wiring amendments required to incorporate my preferences and existing changes I have made:

Firstly changes to the dash wiring:

And then the installation of the Mallory HyFire Unit (A digital version of the MSD 6AL):Ultimately my intention is to combine all the these separate diagrams with the GD wiring diagrams to provide a single diagram for the whole car.

Odds'n'Sods

I'm taking the opportunity to get some small jobs that had previously fallen by the wayside done.

First up was to make up a bracket to support the heater hoses - nothing clever about this one - a bit of bent ali plate bolted to the end of the cylinder head:

Having spent the last few weeks kicking the handbrake cable every time I walked past I decided it was time to fit it through the rear bulkhead - straightforward other than ( as with most of the grommets) having to thin the GRP down in the inside as it is to thick for the grommet to thick - thanks to the trusty Dremel again:

I have also removed the bonnet scoop - fettled the edges of the cut-out and re-fitted the scoop as I wasn't 100% happy with it. No photo 'cos you can't tell the difference!

Finally I started producing some neoprene rubber grommets to fit the roll bar legs where they pass through the boot floor:

Unless you have ninja scissor skills get a pair of circle cutters off e-bay for a couple of quid as seen in the photo.