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Completely fed up with it
cd.thomson - 19/7/09 at 06:32 PM

anybody fancy swapping their completed kit for an incomplete one before I take it down the tip

Dangle_kt - 19/7/09 at 06:38 PM

I've just been on pistonheads thinking the same thing. Getting royaly cheesed off with redoing jobs! I've delayed my sva 4 times now and I think I may have to again! I've only got just over 2 months till I loose the sva and have to get an iva. I keep telling myself it will be worth it when it's done...

Chin up. Your not alone.

big_wasa - 19/7/09 at 06:46 PM

You want to try a locost from scratch.

Hammerhead - 19/7/09 at 06:53 PM

quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
anybody fancy swapping their completed kit for an incomplete one before I take it down the tip


what problems are you having?

Mark Allanson - 19/7/09 at 06:56 PM

You need to take a week off from it and get someone locally to take you out for a howl. Batteries recharged, morale high and rearing to go

Ninehigh - 19/7/09 at 07:17 PM

If you're going to take it to the tip I'll have it! I'll even collect if it'll fit in the back of me mondeo!!

Don't give up, try saving up for a welder and then having something break on the house and watch welder money go cos you need hot water more..

blakep82 - 19/7/09 at 08:20 PM

nooo don't do it!

cd.thomson - 19/7/09 at 08:26 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Hammerhead

what problems are you having?


every single job, no matter how small or large, requires inordinate amounts of hassle to resolve.

the current example is fitting my engine:

after having two extra sets of fabricated engine mounts because the originals didnt fit and the replacements didnt either I come to fit the engine after its all sorted and the starter fouls on the chassis.

Options include: replace chassis tube? fine apart from the fact I know nothing about chassis design and I can't weld, there is also noone nearby who can weld even for money. Or a replacement starter for an XE engine, which I don't know if they exist, dont know if a replacement would even fit and can't afford anyway.

This is just one example, without going into the clutch pedal which tries to catapult you out of the car when it was trialed (when the engine was in without the starter), the brake pipes I've had to replace and alternator that mounts to the inlet manifold thats no longer fitted.

oldtimer - 19/7/09 at 08:33 PM

Us scratch builders say, So? Keep going, chin up, if it was easy it wouldn't feel the same.

eccsmk - 19/7/09 at 08:36 PM

unfortunately we all go through times where we feel the need to give up,

after a decent pint and a decent sleep you will see that not everything is against you and looking forward to when it done
you will realise all the struggling
and lack of money was all worth it because
you will own a car that you put together and is just such brilliant fun

so keep at it mate it WILL come right in the end trust me

cd.thomson - 19/7/09 at 08:38 PM

quote:
Originally posted by oldtimer
Us scratch builders say, So?


I'd have scratch built the car if I'd have wanted to scratch build it.

A "scratch builder" has amassed a collection of skills right from the start of the project to overcome these issues which I have not. A small welding job for you, is a virtual impossibility to me.

Mark G - 19/7/09 at 08:48 PM

You're right though. It will all be worth it.

I hit problems when building mine too and sometimes it feels that you make no progress even after a few months of evening and weekends.

Trust me, When its all finished and you're driving down the road just listening to the sweet hum of the engine its all worth while!

niceperson709 - 19/7/09 at 10:38 PM

How badly is the starter fouling the frame ?
You may find that if you just a bit of judicious hammering may solve the problem by denting the tube enough for clearance.

Peteff - 19/7/09 at 11:04 PM

Whereabouts in Notts are you ? How bad is the starter fouling and could you cut the rail to miss it and get to it to weld a piece in ?

Ninehigh - 19/7/09 at 11:39 PM

Get one of these nippon ones everyone goes on about, they're supposed to be really small

LBMEFM - 20/7/09 at 05:48 AM

There is not one of us that hasn't felt like you during the build, but as they say you WILL get there in the end. Good Luck Barry.

speedyxjs - 20/7/09 at 06:10 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
Don't give up, try saving up for a welder and then having something break on the house and watch welder money go cos you need hot water more..


Im at that point at the moment. Just saved up enough for megasquirt and the rear shocks go on the tintop which i need to get sorted before august

oldtimer - 20/7/09 at 07:02 AM

I wasn't being funny with you and I'm sorry if my reply sounded unstmpathetic. I'm not. It is just that we've all been there and practically all issues are solvable. We all get to block points when a completely unforseen problem stops us. You WILL solve it and you'll feel better when you have. I have been stumped so many times on my build some days I could have pushed it onto the street for takers. It happened to me endlessly on my first build and now I'm doing it all again....

There is no truer saying than - things are never as bad as you immagine them to be.

You are getting there and you have all of us behind you too.

Best of luck.

Martin

jabbahutt - 20/7/09 at 07:25 AM

Sorry for being stupid bit did you order the chassis from Dax or buy it from someone who had to give up on the project? Reason I'm asking is if you ordered the chassis wouldn't Dax of asked what engine you were fitting? I'm suprised that a standard starter is fouling unless it's a different type of engine than the chassis was built for.

If you ordered direct from Dax have you rung them to speak about the problmes you're having as they may be able to suggest a solution.

cd.thomson - 20/7/09 at 08:17 AM

quote:
Originally posted by jabbahutt
Sorry for being stupid bit did you order the chassis from Dax or buy it from someone who had to give up on the project?


It's an ex-pinto project but I am fitting the XE on the explicit information from Dax that the chassis is exactly the same and the alterations required are to the rear water port and new engine mounts.

I've had a sleep and I'm less angry at it, but still at a loss really. Please see the attached picture to see an extremely bad representation of the issue. I'm guessing I cant just cut that tube out - it must be there for some important reason.



the part that actually hits the rail isnt the starter, its the little tacked on bit (solenoid?) so a starter with a separate solenoid would work! if they existed



[Edited on 20/7/09 by cd.thomson]

mcerd1 - 20/7/09 at 08:22 AM

quote:
Originally posted by jabbahutt
.....wouldn't Dax of asked what engine you were fitting? I'm suprised that a standard starter is fouling unless it's a different type of engine than the chassis was built for.


Craig, if I remember right yours is a pinto / DeDion chassis (same as mine) and dax told me that the only difference if I wanted to fit a red top was the engine mounts (but I think they use the 7deg. bellhousing)

what kind of starter are you using at the moment and how much space do you need ?


[edit: too slow again.....]

[Edited on 20/7/09 by mcerd1]

cd.thomson - 20/7/09 at 08:27 AM

oh they roll it over slightly! that makes sense, although not sure that would completely solve the issue.

I need about 2cm

mcerd1 - 20/7/09 at 08:29 AM

its more money than you want to spend, but have you looked at high torque starters ?


they are much smaller than the ford ones (so I assume they are smaller than vauxhall ones)

I got one for my pinto from H&H ignition, they are really helpful (and allot cheaper than burtons / demon thieves etc.)
linky

also there are a couple of folk on the other forum that have put a vauxhall engine in a pinto chassis (not sure what bellhousing they used though)


oh and give Gary or Peter @ Dax a call they might have some suggestions


[Edited on 20/7/09 by mcerd1]

cd.thomson - 20/7/09 at 08:54 AM

the high torque starters are the same shape unfortunately

also im fairly sure gary and peter will be unimpressed with me. I've phoned the before and the implication has always been - if you're not building it as laid out exactly as shown in the manual then dont come moaning to us..

mcerd1 - 20/7/09 at 09:14 AM

quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
the high torque starters are the same shape unfortunately

they can be allot smaller though

Jasper - 20/7/09 at 11:14 AM

It's REALLY worth getting a mig welder if you're building a kit, even if you don't make the chassis. I could never had built my current car without it, major chassis mods to fit the engine, made my own engine mounts etc etc.

They're really easy to use with a bit of practice and means you don't have to rely on companies to do jobs for you.

kj - 21/7/09 at 06:56 AM

Everyone gets like that, the ammount of times i was going to sell even had a bloke come out and look at it, when you hear them get excited about it and what it will look like you think nah i am keeping it ( must admit he was a time waster) but gave me motivation.
See if some one can take you out it makes you want to get it on the road, if you get rid of it you will always wish you had not.