Project Car / Motorbike thread. Let's see 'em.

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
That’s the reason I went agreed value on the Alfa… Shannon’s were the only one that would entertain the idea I’d want an agreed value over the “market value” and let me set it at what it would actually cost to replace it.
But still annoyed GIO refused to cover the car after I moved to Taswegia - I had lifetime new for old on that so could let it just insure for whatever the market value was and I’d still get a new one if it got wrecked.
Agreed value is the way to go if the premium isn't too much more. I usually bump it up a bit to what I think a replacement would be.
Gee, what is up with GIO and Tasmania?

Although I don't drive that car enough as before now with WFH. It is slowly going to turn into a relatively low km's unicorn not from good planning on my part either. Some spotty teenager in 2030 will be dying to pry it away its stock JDM glory from an even more crusty old me :D
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Agreed value is the way to go if the premium isn't too much more. I usually bump it up a bit to what I think a replacement would be.
Gee, what is up with GIO and Tasmania?

Although I don't drive that car enough as before now with WFH. It is slowly going to turn into a relatively low km's unicorn not from good planning on my part either. Some spotty teenager in 2030 will be dying to pry it away its stock JDM glory from an even more crusty old me :D
Dunno… they only do NSW/ACT/Vic apparently. Was a damn good deal - if you buy a new or demo and insure it with them from then, it’s new for old forever.
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
Dunno… they only do NSW/ACT/Vic apparently. Was a damn good deal - if you buy a new or demo and insure it with them from then, it’s new for old forever.
I bet their insurance assessors must put on their best detective hats for any new for old replacement. It is a great deal.
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
I was pissed to lose it just because I moved state… Women up the street from me in Canberra had her 16 year old Jeep totalled in the hail storm and they paid out a brand new Jeep for her.
Phwoar! That is hard to beat. Surprised that they offer something that must be so tempting.

Quick, hail is coming, park the car outside and pray for a big storm.
 

MasterOfReality

After forever
I don't know if you can get them anymore but the fulcrum adjustable bearing plates or Mackay brand were the best. If it's been lowered you'll need to shorten the bump stops by the same amount.
These ones were KYB so supposed to be decent. But have heard the Mackay ones were excellent.

I'll prob bite the bullet and get the entire car rebushed with rubber, plus new struts/shocks and springs. The stuff in there now is 30 years old so due for replacement. Will test fit wheels to see how much lower I should go so it looks decent. The new wheel/tyre combo is slightly larger than what I have now.

Took car out for a decent thrash around Samford Valley a couple of weeks ago, can confirm the truetrac works as intended and got lots of dirty looks from the mums in the village when we revved the shit out of the lazy 5 litre like true bogans. Stopped at the pub in Dayboro for a few vb's before heading back home. Was a good day! Everything worked.
 
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Haakon

Keeps on digging
Hopefully I didn’t totally stuff this up, but think it should work. Not exactly best practice, but as DIY hack jobs go… Been so many years since I did a head gasket I can’t remember how OCD I was about this last time. But have probably done at least a dozen with no gasket failures!

Gently and carefully with 1200 on a flat block lubricated with brake clean to knock the gunk off, then 2000 to final. Wouldn’t be more than a minute tops to clean it up and no real pressure applied. Certainly can’t get my thinnest feeler gauge under the flat edge at least.

2000 did feel a little shiny though, so went around the fire ring once or twice with 1200 again just to take the shine off.
82FA59C8-46CC-4E68-BD02-82A75954F1D5.jpeg
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Now I remember why this is a bit unfamiliar- most engines I’ve done have been wet liners!

Those ones if you’re building the engine jsut rub the liner face on wet and dry on a flat surface and then set the protrusion with shims under the liner in the block. And if it’s just a head job, run around the lip with emery to clean it up and check the protrusion is still good - which it generally is as it pokes above the block deck a lot more than you’d take off cleaning the liner top.

No worrying about low spots or deck flatness, nice and easy…
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
This is NOT good advice.
Don’t go nuts obviously, and use a block and jsut enough to clean it - not trying to reface it!. But was good to give a clean surface for the gasket to sit on.

Dunno. Worked for me on all the reno and pug engines I built….
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Sigh. The perils of being OCD… I think I have probably stuffed this up a bit. I think it’s too smooth and taken too much of the original finish off.

I was thinking “make it clean” more than I should have been thinking “keep the surface finish intact for the gasket to key into”.

I think 1200 is too smooth, and for whatever reason it looks it’s taken more finish off the area between cylinders than elsewhere. More sensitive area to being abraded I guess…

Reading more into RA values and it seems 400 grit is a better choice for the right roughness. Maybe one more pass with 400 to add texture and cross fingers….

Although the alloy head came back from the machine shop with a virtual mirror finish on it…
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
Sigh. The perils of being OCD… I think I have probably stuffed this up a bit. I think it’s too smooth and taken too much of the original finish off.

I was thinking “make it clean” more than I should have been thinking “keep the surface finish intact for the gasket to key into”.

I think 1200 is too smooth, and for whatever reason it looks it’s taken more finish off the area between cylinders than elsewhere. More sensitive area to being abraded I guess…

Reading more into RA values and it seems 400 grit is a better choice for the right roughness. Maybe one more pass with 400 to add texture and cross fingers….

Although the alloy head came back from the machine shop with a virtual mirror finish on it…
Assuming the gasket has some kind of fire ring incorporated, you're massively overthinking it. Slap the head on and torque it IMO.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Assuming the gasket has some kind of fire ring incorporated, you're massively overthinking it. Slap the head on and torque it IMO.
Overthinking it is my favourite way of staring at the ceiling all night wondering what if…
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Assuming the gasket has some kind of fire ring incorporated, you're massively overthinking it. Slap the head on and torque it IMO.
Nope. Looks to be a multi layer steel job. Which from what I’ve read likes a smooth surface.

773AAB17-EE6A-4B6E-ADD7-61714BA4DFA6.jpeg
 
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