DamoC43
Member
Update: So this month has been man vs frame rail. THere were Two issues, 1) Drivers side was out of line as mentioned, 2) There was a dent furthur back on drivers side rail, just behind brake line.
I've managed to fix number 1 - well when i say fixed, it's much better than it was. For some reason the new crash panel holes that bolt on the ends of each wing seems wider that the original car by about 4mm but i aint about to start trying to bend strut towers! I did concede though and recently bought on of those hydraulic frame repair jacks. Trying to do this with long lengths of timber / hand held winding jack from other car was proving fruitless.
2) Resolved via purchasing a mig welder. I welded on an M20 stud, made a little frame out of some 2''x1'' wood with a hole through center and then tightened up a nut on the end to effectively pull the dent. Took a couple of attempts but it worked eventually. Again it's not perfect but by the time i've tidied it up and run some paint over it'll be barely noticeable. I don't think this officially needed repairing but it's nice to get things as close i can back to nprmal.
The other massive update was getting engine to fire up last weekend. I'd given up trying to find a mid range scan tool that was capable of 'Enabling engine start after crash'. this is an ECU code that these car register when airbags deploy to prevent starter motor. Used to be a physical pyro fuse that blew. So i'd verbally arranged a mobile mechanic to come after the Christmas break who had Star. After speaking to him and purchasing an iCarsoft off this site from another member (I knew this couldn't do the job but i wanted an OEM reader for general fault code reading down the line) i found a video of a guy getting rid of this fault code using a scanner called Launch Creader Elite. £106 off ebay. I didn't expect this would work but given the mobile mechanic never called me back (unsurprisingly) i thought - what have i got to loose. Plugged it in, disable that code and hit start and what do you know, she fired straight up didn't miss a beat. Sounded tappy for the first 2 seconds and then smooth as. I recon this engine hasn't been started since at least September 2023. Couldn't run it for long though as no coolant in system. I've not refilled it yet as apparently the need vacuum filling and i'l need to figure out how thats possible given the car can't move yet?
So todays jobs are to final fit the crash panel back on and bolt the rads back up + start getting all the various sensors plugged back up. I also need to build back up the drivers wheel strut assembly and get everything loctite back up. Also have a new hinge and i'd like to trial fit new bonnet so i can check alignment to front end. Next weekend I need to replace a short section of brake line. I've bought the kit for this, just waiting on Merc brake fluid to arrive so i can top up reservoir when bleeding. I do have a question about this concerning the coated steel lines, how much of the coating should be stripped back if any? Some say as far back as the flare tool requires otherwise the pipe won't fit into the tooling, in my case this will be about an inch, others say just enough to allow the flare, i think i'd even read someone saying they don't strip it back at all. Plus given they're steel if i strip back an inch i'm going to need to recreate some surface protection otherwise it'll rust to buggery. I could paint then add a heat shrink tube? Advice please....
There's still some damage to the end of the sill drivers side (See previous pics i've added) and i think this will need a proper body shop. Metal is so kinked at top side i can't get it to budge, might have another go once drivers wing is off.
So phase 1 - which was all the metal work and structural stuff is nearly complete. Phase 2 will be interior (Airbags, seat belts and crash module reset). By then it'll be ready for MOT and then phase 3 is paint shop. Still looking reasonable for my back on road by March plan (i'm only doing this at weekends and work away from home often in the week) assuming no other nightmare discoveries appear.
Am still on the lookout for a second hand front wheel, part number A205 401 54 00 finish ET33 - must not have weld repairs! If anyone knows of anyone or anywhere i can approach let us know. (PS: I've seen all the stuff on ebay, only 1 was decent and the seller refused Two separate offers - despite having 'Make me an offer', feature switched on. If someone isn't going to accept a 10% discount then i'm not buying
I've managed to fix number 1 - well when i say fixed, it's much better than it was. For some reason the new crash panel holes that bolt on the ends of each wing seems wider that the original car by about 4mm but i aint about to start trying to bend strut towers! I did concede though and recently bought on of those hydraulic frame repair jacks. Trying to do this with long lengths of timber / hand held winding jack from other car was proving fruitless.
2) Resolved via purchasing a mig welder. I welded on an M20 stud, made a little frame out of some 2''x1'' wood with a hole through center and then tightened up a nut on the end to effectively pull the dent. Took a couple of attempts but it worked eventually. Again it's not perfect but by the time i've tidied it up and run some paint over it'll be barely noticeable. I don't think this officially needed repairing but it's nice to get things as close i can back to nprmal.
The other massive update was getting engine to fire up last weekend. I'd given up trying to find a mid range scan tool that was capable of 'Enabling engine start after crash'. this is an ECU code that these car register when airbags deploy to prevent starter motor. Used to be a physical pyro fuse that blew. So i'd verbally arranged a mobile mechanic to come after the Christmas break who had Star. After speaking to him and purchasing an iCarsoft off this site from another member (I knew this couldn't do the job but i wanted an OEM reader for general fault code reading down the line) i found a video of a guy getting rid of this fault code using a scanner called Launch Creader Elite. £106 off ebay. I didn't expect this would work but given the mobile mechanic never called me back (unsurprisingly) i thought - what have i got to loose. Plugged it in, disable that code and hit start and what do you know, she fired straight up didn't miss a beat. Sounded tappy for the first 2 seconds and then smooth as. I recon this engine hasn't been started since at least September 2023. Couldn't run it for long though as no coolant in system. I've not refilled it yet as apparently the need vacuum filling and i'l need to figure out how thats possible given the car can't move yet?
So todays jobs are to final fit the crash panel back on and bolt the rads back up + start getting all the various sensors plugged back up. I also need to build back up the drivers wheel strut assembly and get everything loctite back up. Also have a new hinge and i'd like to trial fit new bonnet so i can check alignment to front end. Next weekend I need to replace a short section of brake line. I've bought the kit for this, just waiting on Merc brake fluid to arrive so i can top up reservoir when bleeding. I do have a question about this concerning the coated steel lines, how much of the coating should be stripped back if any? Some say as far back as the flare tool requires otherwise the pipe won't fit into the tooling, in my case this will be about an inch, others say just enough to allow the flare, i think i'd even read someone saying they don't strip it back at all. Plus given they're steel if i strip back an inch i'm going to need to recreate some surface protection otherwise it'll rust to buggery. I could paint then add a heat shrink tube? Advice please....
There's still some damage to the end of the sill drivers side (See previous pics i've added) and i think this will need a proper body shop. Metal is so kinked at top side i can't get it to budge, might have another go once drivers wing is off.
So phase 1 - which was all the metal work and structural stuff is nearly complete. Phase 2 will be interior (Airbags, seat belts and crash module reset). By then it'll be ready for MOT and then phase 3 is paint shop. Still looking reasonable for my back on road by March plan (i'm only doing this at weekends and work away from home often in the week) assuming no other nightmare discoveries appear.
Am still on the lookout for a second hand front wheel, part number A205 401 54 00 finish ET33 - must not have weld repairs! If anyone knows of anyone or anywhere i can approach let us know. (PS: I've seen all the stuff on ebay, only 1 was decent and the seller refused Two separate offers - despite having 'Make me an offer', feature switched on. If someone isn't going to accept a 10% discount then i'm not buying
