Rebody 507 Tribute Build thread

[Duncodin]

And mines an M44 so even more room - as long as the brake fluid doesn't need topping up often.

 

[Duncodin]

... ... why make work for yourself?

I'm not starting the build because I'm picturing myself cruising around in a finished car.

I'm doing it because the build is 90% of the fun. So making work for myself? Yep.

 

[Dxbolton]

Fuses, servo, radiator. air filter, shock mounts etc etc
Take another picture with the full bonnet open, why make work for yourself?

Scroll up a few messages. There’s a photo fully open

 

[Pingu]

I left the original Z3 splash guard in place and trimmed the outside edge. I then used some polypropylene sheeting and slipped it between the splash guard and the metal body and held it in place with self tappers. This stops 90% of the splashing, the rest is not worth bothering about as you probably get more coming up from the engine bay.
I gel coated the underside of my bonnet so a quick rinse with the hose gets any build up off easily when the car gets it annual wash!

I used "cat's whiskers" to fill the gaps. It does an excellent job, but isn't a cheap option. It'll cost about £100 for the whiskers and the clips.

 

[Dxbolton]

I used "cat's whiskers" to fill the gaps. It does an excellent job, but isn't a cheap option. It'll cost about £100 for the whiskers and the clips.

I used a 2mm rubber strip attached to original inner guards, that tucks just inside the wing inner lip. This allows the clam to open up and when closed you just need to tuck it inside again,
Cost very little off eBay.
rear inner splash guards are almost perfect fit once trimmed back in a couple of places on the outer edge.

 

[Pingu]

I used a 2mm rubber strip attached to original inner guards, that tucks just inside the wing inner lip. This allows the clam to open up and when closed you just need to tuck it inside again,
Cost very little off eBay.
rear inner splash guards are almost perfect fit once trimmed back in a couple of places on the outer edge.

Part of the fun is discovering the different solutions to similar problems.

 

[Duncodin]

Part of the fun is discovering the different solutions to similar problems.

and I'm the lucky one. You guys have all Been there, Done that, got the T-Shirts etc. and I'm just coming along afterwards hoovering up all the knowledge. Hopefully I'll be trying out some of my own ideas, adding to the mix and paying it forward.

 

[Duncodin]

@Dxbolton

Is your car still in gelcoat? It's quite shiny? and can't see the mold lines round the bonnet near the lights? Is that just lots of rubbing or have you added some paint?

Thanks

 

[Dxbolton]

Purely gel coat.
lots of flatting with 320/500/1000 grit, then G3 and G10 compounding.
it will get paint in the future but at the moment I’m just enjoying it without any worries.

 

[Duncodin]

It's nice. You've done a grand job. Lot of elbow grease Mine's ordered in slate grey. I can't wait.

On a different topic. Do you still have the alpha door handles lying around?

 

[Dxbolton]

It's nice. You've done a grand job. Lot of elbow grease Mine's ordered in slate grey. I can't wait.

On a different topic. Do you still have the alpha door handles lying around?

Chris at Tribute now has those. Give him a call as they were complete with gaskets and keys if he still had them

 

[Duncodin]

Some “kit” car builders fit a small push button switch in the bottom of the mirror casing to release the door lock. I used a similar thing as a boot popper on my old Mazda Euros using a solenoid from an aftermarket central locking kit. You could do the same?

Tony.

I'm probably going to rely on the central locking and figure out some 'non-electric' emergency door unlockerizer in the event of central locking failure but also battery failure. Sliding a thin bar down between the glass and rubber strip and pulling up under the button seems to be the way they do it in the movies. Not sure if it's that easy in real life. I'll just hide a coat hanger in the boot.

@Dxbolton Can I ask a favour. Looking at your picture where you show the thickness of the door skin. Next time you're by your car would you measure the thickness directly where the original door handle is and then also, maybe an inch above and below. You said you lost a month of your life trying to get an alpha handle working. I'm going to rig up a false skin on my door to attach and fiddle about with various handles. I'm sure I'll lose a month of my life too but I haven't got my kit yet so I have a spare month. Thanks

 

[Dxbolton]

I had removed most of the outer skin and handle so that my external handle was operating the oem mechanism, the oem lever HAS to fully retract to allow the central locking to work. Whilst I could get the handle to open and close, it would not retract enough for the central locking to work.
whilst I use the push button now acting on the original handle which was welded back in place, I rely on the central locking for security.
How often does this fail? I have replaced both solenoids so hopefully I’m good for the next 25 years. The passenger solenoid did fail once so I replaced both sides.
Measuring the skin won’t help as it depends on the handles being used and the angle you fit them to the door.
I tilted my triumph herald handles so the mechanism works smoothly as opposed to a direct fit on the skin

 

[Duncodin]

The herald is a push button with a static handle, The handle itself doesn't move (I think) So you have the push button acting on the mechanism inside the door?

 

[Dxbolton]

You cut a small hole above the original handle and add a striker plate to the mechanism. The push button hits the striker plate and operates the bmw handle.

 

[Dxbolton]

Hope this photo explains the method

 

[jaguartvr]

That will give you problems. the striker plate you have added is too far away from the push pin on the door handle.
What you need to do is exactly what you have done but on your plate it needs to be bent towards you at 90 degrees. Then another bend of approx 9o degrees downwards. This places the new striker plate much closer to the pin of the door handle so it doesn't need to travel very far before it engages the plate and opens the door. The door handle pin must not touch the plate otherwise the car will deadlock, if it does then hopefully you have run the emergency release wire to the boot so you can touch the battery +ve to un deadlock the car.
I will try and do a sketch and post it later.

The Z3 central locking does not often fail but the deadlocking problem has been a major problem for builders, It was our own Gooka from this forum that solved it.

I am intrigued by Dxboltons solution, please keep us inform with lots of pictures.

 

[Duncodin]

Instead of a push button, triumph style, handle - where the handle itself doesn't move - I was hoping to use a pull handle (no button) and connect the pull handle via a rod to the original z3 pull handle. So pull the new handle/lever which just pulls on the original z3 handle via a rod to open the door.

I hope I'm explaining this OK. Any of you builders see a problem in what I'm (trying to) saying.

 

[Pingu]

You will have a problem using a rod to pull the Z3 handle.

When a human pulls the handle, the pull angle is perpendicular to the handle AT ALL TIMES. When a rod pulls the handle the pull angle is constant with reference to the door, not the handle.

I hope you understand what I mean.

 

[Duncodin]

You will have a problem using a rod to pull the Z3 handle.

When a human pulls the handle, the pull angle is perpendicular to the handle AT ALL TIMES. When a rod pulls the handle the pull angle is constant with reference to the door, not the handle.

I hope you understand what I mean.

I think I know what you mean. The rod wouldn't be welded/screwed rigid to the z3 handle. It would be attached via a bearing or hinge that allows the rod to swivel. The rod comes out at a fixed angle but as it moves the angle between the rod and Z3 handle can change.

Looking at door from this angle

1. Original Z3 handle in the closed position.
2. Pull the handle out and up to open the door.

3. Red tribute door skin over the door. The grey is a pull handle. Sorry. Not a very good representation but I hope you know what I mean. It's attached via a rod to the original z3 handle.

4. Pull the exterior handle which, in turn, pulls up on the original Z3 handle.

The rod isn't fixed rigid to the Z3 handle. There'd be a roller bearing behind the z3 handle.