1990 country squire resto/lowrider in UK

[andyfanshawe]

Coming along nicely.


I saw you mention aluminum oxide and that you only use regular sand when you're desperate. How big a difference is there? How does it behave differently? Are there any other medias you've experimented with first-hand?

In the finish there is no difference. But, and this is a big but, regular sand will deposit silica in the lungs which cannot be got rid of. Leads to all types of nasty, usual fatal, diseases. Thats why I use it if I'm desperate. But only with an air fed mask.
Saying that, ally oxide is just as bad if you breathe in the dust vapours.
Other than that I haven't used baking soda or glass beads or walnut shells.
Certainly wouldn't blast flattish exterior body panels with sand or ally oxide due to heat build up and bad distortion. Trust me on this, dont ask me how I know

Andy.

[andyfanshawe]

Now its time to get this car back on the floor.
First job is to strip the rust off the rear floor area where the gas tank will reside, and paint it with epoxy mastic paint.
Heres a couple of photos to show how far back I baremetalled with an angle grinder and a media blaster.





Heres the same bit painted with a thick coat of epoxy.



Rear springs next. These will only be temporary (until airbags go in) but they can't look bad, so media blasted and painted.



Oops! I have accidentally painted my Wife's bird feeder silver as well. Oh dear!

Andy.

[johnunit]

Bird feeder looks awesome! really though, the progress is great.

Thanks for the info about media blasting. No more running the blast cabinet without vacuum on because "the noise gives me a headache" for me.

[marquisman]

lol some people have bird feeders hangin from the tree, others have car parts. you are having good progress!

[91grandmarquis]

Did he just paint temporary parts? hah That is something I thought only I would do, and then only because Im anal about things. You sir really take pride in your work. Its good to see.

[andyfanshawe]

Try to finish off the axle today, and install it. Then front rotors fitted, all wheels on and supporting frames removed. Well thats the plan!!

Heres the final moments before the axle is sealed off.





2 trolley jacks and some assistants (My Wife and 2 sons) got the heavy axle to the car.





Here it is installed with new shocks









Onto the front suspension and rotors installed. No calipers just yet. Need to be stripped and painted.



How can 2 simple parts like these 2 bump stops be so gratifying to fit!!



And yes I did get the supports removed, but it was too dark to photograph. I'll post them tomorrow.

Sure looks pretty under there now!!

Andy.

[andyfanshawe]

Heres a nice before and after shot! Makes it all worthwhile.





Andy.

[Lincolnmania]

wow! nice work mang!
you can use energy suspension bump stops for a rwd chevy too......cheaper than the stock rubber ones here in the states

[87gtVIC]

Wow!

[85crownHPP]

Your neighbors must LOVE you!! lol...

Are copper brake lines a European thing?? I had to replace two on an old land rover I worked on because they twisted off as soon as I touched them.

[andyfanshawe]

Your neighbors must LOVE you!! lol...

Are copper brake lines a European thing?? I had to replace two on an old land rover I worked on because they twisted off as soon as I touched them.

Don't know whether its a european thing or not to be honest. The brand name is kunifer 10 and is a copper niickel alloy specially made for the job. You're right about the twisting though. The unions at the end are normally steel and are in direct contact with the copper alloy and corossion results. Smearing grease/rustproofing products on the pipes before assembly always helps.
Very simple to make and work with though.

Andy.

[Lincolnmania]

here we use steel line and brass unions

[grandpaslincoln]

I just checked out the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations manual, there's no mandate for steel brake lines for US vehicles. I'm sure if you used them here and inspection came up you'd be fined for using copper though.

[andyfanshawe]

Its a tried and trusted method of renewing brake and fuel lines in the UK.
Most, if not all, shops and enthusiasts have been using this for years and years. Personally I have been using it for 30 years. No failures.

Have a look here

http://www.fedhillusa.com/

Andy.

[andyfanshawe]

Should have been putting trans in today, but I have loads of parts lying around the house and garage and car and shed and loft.................that are getting in the way. And annoying my Wife. So, lets get these fitted.

Seats first.
Carpet out and vacuumed floorpan and carpet. The floorpan is in good shape, with no holes. Just surface rust. I'll derust it and epoxy paint it during the summer.









Carpet back in, then bolted the passenger seat back in.

Onto drivers seat next. But hang on, when it was in the car it wasn't working properly. The 6 way power seat wasn't doing what it should be doing. iirc it was trying but straining and tipping and making noises, but not doing much.
Lets have a look.



Turn it upside down.



Quick look around and have a look here



Now that would explain the noises. But why has the weld broken? Didn't take long to find that every pivot point on one side of the seat had seized solid. Took about an hour to strip the seat and took considerable force to unseize it. In fact it was unbelievable to see how stuck they were. A big hammer wouldn't shift them!

Heres a couple of views of the unseized pivots and the broken one clamped up ready for welding.





Andy.