Comments welcome!

Well done on saving this coupe!
A great way to save a coupe by 4 of you to chipping in with it.
I saved a Scottie turbo earlier this year and it can be quite a task!

There I feel a lot more confident about this already!

The boot looks amazingly clean Simon.

Amongst all the work that is required some salvation was the lack of road dirt and salt being thrown up at it year after year, so yes it's quite clean!


Edit: transferred this

Good luck with all. I'm happy to donate parts if I have them. Just give me a shout.

That's most generous Joe, cheers mate

Hats off to all of you for taking this on!

Like you - the sort of project I would love to take on and I've been tempted a couple of times recently in to taking on coups that are unloved but could be saved.

I am sure this adventure is going to be well followed by those of us with perhaps less polished coupe saving skills then the expert members on the forum.

Also - something to be said for group efforts to save coupes? The costs can be staggeringly high sometimes - far higher then Porsche in many instances....

Anyhow - good luck and looking forward to your instalments- her future looks brighter!

MM

Are you doing all the work outside Simon? Fair play on that one.

Indeed Jim, but when the engine comes out it'll go at the back of a lockup...

Would it be worth investing in a pop up tent type thing that you see at track days etc?

Joh Snow says Winter is coming. You better get a shift on Ed...

We did think about this tbh - when the engine is out it will be in a lockup at least

I've an engine crane you're welcome to borrow if you want Simon. Maybe a bit far away and a bit much hassle getting it to you?

What are you planning to do that justifies removing the engine anyway?

That's very generous Matt Would have to consider courier cost.....

An option is to buy one new then resell it.

Pow-wow tomorrow night, so another item for the agenda!

Belts, tensioners, water pump, clutch - and just have some room to spring it into life after 14 years....

Also makes access to the bay and underneath easier for rust treatment. Although not as bad as it could have been, it means the job's done more thoroughly.

Hmmm... I've just done all that (and radiator, aircon pipe, cv joints) with "engine in" and would do it the same way again if I had to. Actually after all the fuss about the cambelt change for the last 20 years I have to say I'd rather do that again than the clutch.

There's a lot of additional work in removing all the connectors, wiring loom, fuel lines, hoses etc. to completely remove the engine, not to mention the fun of maneuvering it out of the bay + you'll need an engine stand and hoist.

Of course if you can get the engine/gearbox out of the car in the next month while the weather holds up and then get it indoors to play with over the winter then that would be entirely sensible.

That radiator and the radiator support bracket look awful!
Where did the two springs come from that are in this pic -->

From the rear brakes?

Yep, totally shot after 14 years out in the open, unused!

Oh sorry, they popped in to the pic by mistake, getting de-crudded at the same time!

Think the springs are from the rear calipers, yeah.

Remember to save the rubber top mounts from the radiator before you bin it.

Yes they definitely are.

All the bolts and fittings including the rubber discs from the rad have been saved and bagged, as have any other parts.....in months' time we could be scratching our heads wondering where they went!

Interesting project you have there Simon!
Good to see you have been able to post pics - whats the secret post photobucket?

I've gone onto Tinypic Mark - although it's something (perhaps deliberately) of a misnomer as the results come out rather large....

Four of us are involved and each one brings something different, but equally valuable, to the project, sometimes as part of a whole team or in pairs or even singly, whenever the time is right

Joe filled me in with some of the background when I popped in today to FCSS for a pre-Zurich trip inspection.
Sounds like a good idea as a shared project - I hope it goes well and is perhaps an inspiration to others.

Great start chaps, I must admit my under rad looks about the same however my front panel looks as bad as my under rad panel.

Have you got yourselves an engine hoist and maybe an engine stand? I'm curious about how the engine removal goes, are you still planning to take it out?

Will watch your progress with interest as its very similar to my own project, i'm sure we can share some war stories on the way !!!

Tbh it's very much in hibernation at the moment, seeing as ours is outside (though with a cover) and it's far too cold!

But imagine a couple of phoenix-like identically-mileaged broomies emerging at some unknown point in the future.....

Actually I've just reacquainted myself with your first-ever post - several answers contained therein!