This is surely one to post on your website!
"How to Project Manage your Sprite rebuild"
I guess we all know the tricks, but who apart from Frank keeps the momentum
going like this until the job is finished!!
Guy
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Frank Clarici" <spritenut@Exit109.com>
> To: "Mike MacLean" <macleans@earthlink.net>
> Cc: <spridgets@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2003 11:30 PM
> Subject: Secrets to speedy restorations
>
>
> > Mike MacLean wrote:
> > > I still don't know where you get the time to do all this. I work 7
days
> > > a week. I can't even find time to do a 5000 mile service, let alone
> > > build a whole car.
> >
> > I work 5 days a week. So after dinner say 6:00pm, I go out to the garage
> > and spend about 4 hours working on the project. There is nothing on TV
> > worth watching so I don't kill any time doing that.
> > This last one was a blitz, I had Kevin coaching me to finish before his
> > rally ;) He wanted daily progress reports, he came and helped me for an
> > entire weekend too. Those days were l o n g! Engine,trans, suspension,
> > and brakes all in a weekend. And everything had to be powdercoated.
> > A week of rough body work, another week of sanding, priming, sanding,
> > priming, over and over to get it nice, then paint, Paint only takes a
> > few hours one night. Then 2 days of wet sanding and buffing. the rest is
> > "Some Assembly Required" I tend to keep one of everything in stock.
> > Hell, with 3 or 4 A series vehicles on the road at any given time, when
> > I need a water pump or hose, it's nice to grab it off the shelf in the
> > garage. Same with brakes, clutch, and most suspension parts. And then I
> > order a new one right away.
> > I buy all my nuts and bolts at Central Jersey Screw and bolt supply,
> > they only sell by the 100 so I always have plenty on new nuts and bolts
> > and washers. It beats cleaning and painting used ones or buying them for
> > a buck each. $50 worth of nuts and bolts does 4 or 5 Spridgets.
> > 1/4 x 28 x 3/4 does most of the car. I get those in nickle plated
> > phillps drive, screw gun the car back together :)
> >
> > Strip the car, that takes less than a day.
> > Figure out what you need, order the parts
> > Start the body work while the parts are on order.
> > New parts arrive the day the paint gets applied.
> > In the meantime, inbetween bondo and primer drying, use the time to
> > repair/refresh sub assemblys.
> > Do SOMETHING every night even if it's flipping a bracket over to paint
> > the other side.
> > Metal can be bought from any local sheetmetal supplier, Ok, so some of
> > my floor pans don't have the ribs in them, who sees them? Patch panels
> > can be bent on a home vice for the most part. $20 worth of metal will
> > patch most rust holes on a Spridget (not counting the floors)
> > Interior panels are 1/8" masonite, available at any lumber yard.
> > A 4x8 sheet does 2 cars with some careful layout. Cut it with a jig or
> > saber saw, sand the corners, use Formica brand contact cement to
> > watterproof and glue the vinyl to it. If you have a later model with the
> > foam, use Pergo underlayment 1/8" foam available at Home Defect in 100
> > sq ft rolls. 3M # 74 spray foam adhesive holds that on along with the
> > fields of the interior vinyl. Contact glue the back folds with the
> > Formica glus, it doesn't come loose in the heat. Cover the whole back of
> > the panel with glue, now it's waterproof to some degree. Better then
> > what was original anyway.
> > Carpet can be bought at the local upholstry shop fairly cheap. I just
> > paid $30 for enough to do my Bugeye. I cut it to fit, and glue it in
> > with 3M #74. It holds yet is removable with some effort should I need to
> > remove it. And it looks alot nicer than those "carpet kits" for $150
> > cause it all fits! (in my opinion)
> > I can do all the carpet in one night.
> > Wiring, By now I know it by heart. All I have to check is the 3 wires on
> > the flasher unit. On my new Bugeye, I made the harness from 2 66 Sprite
> > harnesses because I have a few too many switches and extra gauges. But
> > it looks like it belongs and I have provisions for more *stuff* when the
> > time comes.
> > All the lights can be bolted on in about an hour, 2 tail, 2 head, 4
> > signal lamps, a few screws each and the wires plug in.
> > Engine cleaning is nothing specail either, I just cleaned that 1098
> > today after work. Superclean and a tooth brush and garden hose. When it
> > drys, I'll paint it green. Paul A supplies the correct green paint,
> > again, I keep a few cans in stock for just this purpose. I am still
> > debating whether or not to rebuild this engine. It is in good shape but
> > was real greasy. New rings, bearings, oil and water pump, about $100
> > bucks.Another $100 for a head job. Who knows, somebody may need a
> > temporary engine or I might find a MKIII Sprite project.
> > If nothing else, I will have a spare good engine (or 3)
> >
> > So plan on a few hours at least 4 nights a week and give it a whole day
> > on the weekend, spend more time working and less time drinking or BS-ing
> > and you will get that project finished before you know it. Yeah, I know,
> > there are chores to do, yards to mow, places to go, and people to see.
> > I DO have a life outside of work and Sprites ;)
> > My longest project was the Austin A40, no restoration manuals, no list,
> > and no catalog for parts. Where do you get a radiator for a 59 A40?
> > You find one that will work, same for the hoses, wrong rad, now make up
> > some hoses. Seats? Junkyard. Engine and trans? Sprite. Leaf springs, a
> > spring shop, Now add 3 point seat belts, power windows, and puddle
> > lights and that project took me 9 months. But it was painted 2 weeks
> > after it I bought it.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Frank Clarici
> > Toms River, NJ
> > Down to just a few Sprites
> > http://www.exit109.com/~spritenut
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