Rebody Pingu's Kit Car Project

I've just seen something that is quite a problem. It has probably been caused by the body flexing due to sleeping policemen and potholes, both of which I negotiate slowly.

Roof cracking...

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The joys of fibreglass 🤪 .

Any recommendations for the best flexible filler paste?
 
That is awful! :eek:
How the hell did that happen?

It is posts like this that convince me building kit cars is not really my thing! :mad:
 
Pond said:
That is awful! :eek:
How the hell did that happen?

It is posts like this that convince me building kit cars is not really my thing! :mad:
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Car bodies flex. GRP doesn't.

There is a foam or wooden batten between the roof and the top of the windscreen. It has been attacthed to the roof with screws that were covered with filler as well as TigerSeal. It may not have happened if had just been TigerSeal, but the seal may not have been tight enough.

Re the failure. The fibres can flex, but the gel can't. The immediate problem is contamination getting into the structure, and crack propagation. The bond between the fibres and the gel doesn't like anything getting in there. It's like rust once that starts.

The cracks can be stopped by drilling a hole at the end of them. One of them has hit the edge already, the others need to be stopped before they head towards the centre of the roof.
 
“The rear beam has been done...”

After your post I went down a rabbit hole researching reinforcements for e30 rear beams. They are out there, but it’s usually just plates at the two mounting barrels and curved sections to brace the diff.
Some of the bracing and adjustment to the arms is seriously spectacular, though a lot of those cars are running upwards of 450hp.
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IainP said:
“The rear beam has been done...”

After your post I went down a rabbit hole researching reinforcements for e30 rear beams. They are out there, but it’s usually just plates at the two mounting barrels and curved sections to brace the diff.
Some of the bracing and adjustment to the arms is seriously spectacular, though a lot of those cars are running upwards of 450hp.
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As @deano1712 says, anyone can make it stronger by chucking more metal at it =))
 
I had a problem with the previous "Parking Light Module", so I've made one that is more robust...

The module on the left is the switch. The module on the right is the parking light module. It takes the place of the Z3 light switch. There are diodes (not all shown) on each of the wires both coming into and leaving the module.

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Diagram of what the circuit board needs to look like...

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I used some fibreglass resin to seal the electronics...

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That is a very neat wiring diagram......can you now explain why it may be needed please?
 
Pond said:
That is a very neat wiring diagram......can you now explain why it may be needed please?
Click to expand...

It's what is needed if you want to replace the original Z3 light switch with an "off, side and side+head" switch (0, 1, 1+2) .

The Z3 switch is quite a complicated switch. It controls five outputs with three inputs (six outputs with four inputs if you have front foglights).

And I've not included a dimmer in the circuit 🤪
 
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Pingu said:
It's what is needed if you want to replace the original Z3 light switch with an "off, side and side+head" switch (0, 1, 1+2) .

The Z3 switch is quite a complicated switch. It controls five outputs with three inputs (six outputs with four inputs if you have front foglights).

And I've not included a dimmer in the circuit 🤪
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Thanks
I shall keep the Z3 one then. I actually connected all my new lights up last night, just to check my extended wiring and make sure the car 'liked' the new lights. All good.
 
I've been really struggling to get it started. Many charged and re-charged batteries, jump starts from the Range Rover = no joy.

Then I tried the battery that I know can start the blue M, and it fired up with a cough, a splutter, a wheeze, another cough, then ran sweet as a nut.

Conclusion - all my batteries must be knackered, and have too low a CCA.

I'm now a happy bunny who is looking forward to the Le Mans Classic :racecar:
 
Insurance renewal = £628.04 with guaranteed valuation.

I need to get the paperwork sent off to get the valuation agreed, as they won't accept the old forms. This means that the first month of insurance is always at risk.

Ouch
 
Pingu said:
Insurance renewal = £628.04 with guaranteed valuation.

I need to get the paperwork sent off to get the valuation agreed, as they won't accept the old forms. This means that the first month of insurance is always at risk.

Ouch
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Can I ask what your insurance valuation is?
 
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