v6Max Clio Build Stuff

[v6Max]

Well a week from hell continued into the weekend and seriously reduced the amount of time I was able to spend on the Clio So instead of getting about 12 hours or so on the project I ended up spending only 4 - this is not the way that projects like this get finished...

The hope had been to finish the console so that it could go to CBC for flocking but that hope pretty much evapourated on Saturday when I had to attend to other things.

Anyway with the console the main focus of the little time I had the first thing to do was to take it all apart. I needed to do this so that I could mark the correct locations for the cutouts that will allow the console to fit over the gearstick. In some of the pictures you should be able to see that the main structure has, in addition to the top panel, a central panel so both would need cutting.

So out came all the screws and with much checking and re-checking of my marking out the cuts were made. Then I reassembled the main structure but this time using glue as well as the screws with the idea that after the 24 hour cure period the screws could be removed.

All that was simple enough stuff the time consuming part was the need for removable panels; the design has 2 of these: One in front of the gearstick which will carry the batter master switch, fire extinguisher switch and brake bias valve and another which is angled and will carry all the other switching (e.g. lights etc). Both of the panels needed to be attached in such a way that they could be taken off to allow access for the initial wiring and any further maintenance.

The basic idea was to use aluminium angle (light and easy to cut) along with chimney nuts to allow the panels to be attached using aluminium bolts. This is one of those jobs that sounds simple but in reality takes a long time simply because there's a lot of marking out to do and you don't get a 2nd chance if you get it wrong. The process was further complicated due to the need to customise each chimney nut (12 of them) by grinding a small amount of material off them.

If you look at the pictures you'll see that in the end it all kind of worked out - I did run out of aluminium bolts but the extra ones I need should be with me by Wednesday. The decision to use the black aluminium bolts was taken because the entire console will be flocked in black and the bolts will visually disappear (I'm very keen to avoid reflections in the windscreen).

There is one "issue" with having the console flocked and that is with those troublesome removable panels; the flocking will not provide a surface suitable for labels for the switches and there's also the danger that when the holes are drilled for the switches the flocking may "grab" the drill bit and it all look very poor so the solution is that I'll mask off the areas where the switches are going and then when the console returns I will cover the masked areas with a more appropriate surface but more on that when it's done.

And that was is, that's all the time I had and I'm going to have words with the project manager about not meeting timelines (bugger that's me isn't it )

I'm planning to do some evenings this week so that the console is done, at the latest, by Saturday. I'm expecting the parts from KW this week so I want to spend the weekend finishing off the rear struts then hopefully I'll get the struts back on at the front and the back. I've got a lead for some 2 piece discs (i.e. discs and bells) at realistic prices so hopefully I should either know more or actually have them by the end of the week.

 

[v6Max]

With temperatures hovering at or around -1 I was tempted to take a break from v6 things this weekend but there's not really the flexibility in the plan for that so instead with 1 t-shirt, 2 jumpers and a rediculous hat I spent the majority of the weekend putting some time into the project and the rest of the weekend de-frosting.

The parts from KW arrived for the rear suspension so refurbishing those poorly rear struts was on the list. I also had a delivery of Kent Special Release Agent - which sounds good and was but the urethane adhesive all over my quarterlight openings proved too strong an ask so I've still got that little "challenge" to deal with.

Anyway back to the topic of the rear struts; dropping them from the car is a simple process - there are two bolts holding the strut onto the hub. One of the bolts has an eccentric head on it allowing precise/secure adjustment of camber and both bolts are torqued to "bastard tight" meaning long breaker bars, impact wrenches etc are the order of the day.

The top of the struts are attached to the car with 3 nuts which are simple to undo and then the whole strut can be dropped and removed from the arch - simple enough. Remember in an earlier post where I covered the refurbishing of the front struts and issued dire warnings about being very careful when the top mounts. In the case of the rear top mounts you must absolutely not remove the large nut on the damper rod prior to getting spring compressors onto the springs.

Anyway with the top mounts off and the various components separated I spent an hour or so cleaning up the damper bodies (pictures will be uploaded in the near future) and then re-assembling them. Now the re-assembly should of been simple but it looks like I've got a potentially serious issue with one of the struts in that someone has at some point damaged the opening threads on the body making it impossible to get the spring perch to thread on properly - I'll have to think of way of sorting this out or otherwise it's going to be a case of locating a machine shop that can rethread the body.

The only other thing to note about the struts was the somewhat disappointing discovery that there is some corrosion on the damper rods; I've a good idea how this has happened - basically the car has spent most of it's life on track and when it's span (it does that a bit!) it's often ended up in gravel traps. The gravel often ends up lodged between the coils of the spring and can then scratch/damage the damper rod finish and then allow corrosion in. It's not serious at the moment and shouldn't cause an issue with the seals but it will require both shocks at some point to go to KW for new damper rods.

I managed to get the console to 95% finished over the weekend; there was some fiddly work to do, many screws to remove, many holes to fill and then hours with the sander to get it right but it's basically done. Tonight I'll sand the last 8 filled holes down and then it go off to CBC for flocking.

I spent a bit of time working out where the various parts of the ISIS system are going to be mounted in the car and it looks like this is going to be a bit of a challenge but I will be able to keep all three boxes within the passenger/driver cell which is good. I was going to run the cabling up the left hand sill but the roll cage prevents me from doing this neatly so instead I'll run it up the sides of the notional transmission tunnel.

I went through the old loom searching for the various connectors for things like headlights, indicators etc; I'll then order new ones so that I can run the ISIS wiring straight to new connectors rather than splicing into the original ones which will be a much neater and more reliable way of doing things.

I need to make a decision on the switches to use within the next 2 weeks and this sounds like one of those things that should be simple but in reality it's not because it needs to be right from the start.

I spent some time trying to clean up the reveals in the quarterlights; They're covered in the urethane adhesive used to hold the normal windows in. I've got plastic windows for weight saving and I want to bolt them in using alluminium bolts but before I can do that I need to get the adhesive off (Which should never have been put there in the first place). This is turning into one of those nightmare jobs to sort out. I've tried powerful Evo adhesive remover and this didn't touch it, the SRA was a bit better but still not good enough so the next attempt will be some heat and that means another power tool has been added to my expanding list of tools.

This week should see the arrival of the discs and bells for the front brakes and I'm hoping I'll be able to get the front struts re-installed in the car. I'll need to get new TREs though because they're in a shocking state for some reason.

I'm also picking up the power steering pump this week and then hopefully by the end of next week Think Auto will have supplied the PAS fittings, new braided brake lines, bulkhead fixings and rigid pipes and I'll be able to start plumbing in the brakes.

 

[v6Max]

Here's a quick image of the DASH2 in operation (from Race Technologies official press pack).

Note all the normal stuff you'd expect to see and then the additional things like gear indication (worked out by road speed and a knowledge of your gear ratios), oil pressure etc. You can add other items; the demo also shows how with a throttle pot you can indicate throttle opening etc.

It's a nice bit of kit and in a build like this a god send as it just makes things so much simpler...

[album]1017[/album]

This is road legal by the way; the bottom row of lights are the things you need to meet SVA rules for indication lights e.g. indicators, full beam, brake/stop warning, battery, fogs.

The top LEDs are the configurable rev indicator lights.

At the bottom of the large LCD display area you can see the non-resettable ODO and the trip.

 

[v6Max]

An oportunity to generate some revenue has finally allowed me to do the deal and sign on the dotted line for...

[album]1018[/album]

This is 4 axis CNC mill/router - I've got an upgraded controller which will drive a fifth axis allowing me to turn components as well. A Kress spindle with full lubrication and dust extraction is also on the order sheet as is t-nut plate, milling and engraving cutters as well as the software to enable both 2d and 3d work.

It'll mill/route wood, foam, POB, plastics, carbon fibre, alluminium and if you fit it with the plasma cutter option it'll handle steel as well. Obviously I can also fit a knife to it to cut foils/vinyls etc but it's primary use won't be for that sort of thing.

It'll have a "day job" for limited runs of dash templates, some bespoke film props but during it's down time I'll be using it to produce bits for my project - hopefully some things will come out of that work that may be of interest.

It's a business purchase so it needs to earn it's keep though - so I'll happily entertain any ideas that you lot have for prototyping or finished products - and of course all at an appropriate discount rate

 

[v6Max]

With the console finished and just waiting to go off for flocking it was time to finally do a job I was really not looking forward to; sorting out the rear quarterlights prior to installing the new perspex windows.

Now the basic idea was/is to bolt these in place using aluminium bolts and a neoprene seal. This means that they can come out (relatively easily) and the whole lot should weigh less than the equivalent glass + adhesive. The problem was that the company that painted the shell made a mistake which they then compounded:

Firstly they glued back in the old windows, then they cut them out damaging some of the paint and also couldn't be bothered to clean the adhesive of. I don't know if you've ever tried to remove the adhesive that holds your windows in but it's basically room temperature cured rubber and is, as I've found out, an absolute b*st*rd to get off.

I've thrown nasty chemicals at it from EvoStik, then trade specific release agents, then heat and none of these have worked so in the end the solution came down to some lateral thinking, some courage and some new bits for the drill. Basically I sanded it off, took all the paint and adhesive off down to the metal on both window reveals. I'll mask it this weekend, primer and then paint it. I should of done this from the start, it's what I thought the paint company had done but I should of guessed that they hadn't; they'd simply painted over the old adhesive.

It's not an exagerration to say that it took both days in order to do the job and I've still got a little tidying up to do. When it's done however it should be a very neat job (providing I get the spraying bit right )

Short update because it was just a weekend of one very long and boring job. I've ordered the aluminium bolts for fixing the windows in and if you want an idea of why this sort of preparation costs serious money it's just cost me a shade under £200 just for the bolts and that's just for the 2 rear windows; it'll be a similar cost for the fronts as well [smilie=icon_eek.gif]

 

[Mike T]

A Kress spindle with full lubrication and dust extraction, t-nut plate, milling and engraving cutters!!!!


You dirty pervert!

Behave yourself, go to the corner of the garage and drum for two hours!

 

[v6Max]

lol

 

[v6Max]

Ok, updates are going to be a little sparse for the next few weeks as I'm moving house and have a couple of weekends coming up with other commitments :s

Just a few things to cover then for this one...

Firstly the window prep is done and they should've been in this weekend but that old bugbear supplier issues cropped up again and the bolts and seals didn't arrive.

I finished repainting the steering column support and then bolted it back up, the dash top is now fully installed - no more reflections in the windscreen! The centre console has been flocked and I'm picking it up next Monday.

I trial fitted the rear tailgate (which is GRP and hugely lighter than the OEM part) to allow me to work out the position for the bonnet pins that will hold it in place. That paint company who've already caused so much "pain" have continued in a similar way with the tailgate by damaging it when getting the glass out and cutting the holes for the hinge bolts oversided by about 3 times - I shall have to make up some plates...

The 2 piece discs arrived yesterday; seem to be very nicely made and with the exception of a non-anodised bell look visually identical to the K-Tec offering even though they are not from Hi-Spec.

I picked up the new suspension and caliper bolts from Renault yesterday as getting the struts back on the car is becoming a priority as without them on the car I can't put the wheels on which will make it a little difficult to move!

Only good thing about the move is that the new place has a nice modern and very spacious double garage!

 

[Eastlmark]

come on Max, lifes not worth living without your updates!
hope the move has gone/going ok.

 

[v6Max]

come on Max, lifes not worth living without your updates!
hope the move has gone/going ok.

Soon Hopefully the wait will be worthwhile...

Only news is that I picked up the flocked console from CBC 2 weeks ago and they've done a superb job. When I finally get the garage sorted out and restart the project I'll get some pictures sorted out.

 

[Mike T]

if you have more than one console is it a flock?

I always thought it was a "gaggle" of consoles

Life's to short

Mike

 

[v6Max]

 

[Mike T]

Did you get my tyre text by the way?

 

[v6Max]

Not seen one Mike - but I've been all over the place with the move and another significant change in my life so try me again because things are starting to even out now.

Max

 

[v6Max]

Well I did say there would be a slight gap in updates...

So the move is completed and it was a little more "challenging" than normal and I now find myself living on my own with my partner going back to her place in the next 2 weeks or so. I don't seem to do simple and with relationships I'm even more prone to making my life complicated but enough of that.

I wanted to kick start the project in the new place by starting to get the ISIS system installed in the car. Basically I needed to get 2 fairly substantial boxes installed at the front, preferably on the inside of the front bulk head. I would then be able to easily program the system and route the wiring. As you've probably noticed the v6 is not over endowed with flat surfaces so a solution was needed...

My solution was to use a system of aluminium rails formed from channel to which I would bolt the ISIS power and master cell boxes. The rails could then be bolted to the shell using spacers to account for the contoured surface. Sounds simple? It seemed to take a long, long time to say the least. To create the spacers I used some aluminium tubing which had just the right ID to take an M6 bolt. Using a mini-tube cutter I was able to fairly accurately cut the spacers (each one was different ranging from 10mm to 22mm).

Actually attaching the rails to the shell was done using some M6 rubber rivnuts - these are basically a hard rubber compound with a threaded insert. You drill a hole (in this case 12mm), push the rivnut in and then screw the bolt into the threaded insert - as you do this the rubber compresses gripping the shell and at the same time sealing the hole. The other advantage of this approach is that the rails ended up isolated from the shell to a certain extent meaning that vibration etc shouldn't reach the power or mastercell.

Enough talk here's a picture which shows them mounted in place:
[album]1151[/album]

The ISIS system needs power, obviously, and it gets this via a 4 way Mega Fuse block. This fuse box needed to go as near to the battery as possible so that the unprotected cabling length is as short as possible. Just like the inside of the v6, flat areas were non-existent so in the end I mounted the fuses on the plate that normally provides access to the air conditioning condenser and demist fan. Again I used small lengths of aluminium tubing to account for the contours. So in the end it looked like...
[album]1149[/album]

I ran out of time (basically Saturday was rained off and I didn't get back till early afternoon on Sunday) but I did drop the center console in just to double check the fit. Fortunately it seems I had cut the holes in the right place for the gear stick so I now need to think about a good way of actually attaching it to the shell. In the first picture (the ISIS on the rails system) you can see a convoluted tube on the top right hand side of one of the rails - this tube will carry the switching wires from the mastercell to the console.
[album]1150[/album]

That's it for now although I'm hoping that the lighter evenings mean I'll be able to get some work done during the week which should see the project move a little quicker.

 

[TRW1]

Looking flocking lovely....

 

[v6Max]

Thanks Tim. What news of yours?

 

[TRW1]

Working on getting the 2 pdm units to communicate before we can install loom....
Bought a gearbox. Will make mine the slowest V6 in the country with a top speed of 128mph @ 7750rpm....
Will chat soon.
Tim

 

[v6Max]

Sounds interesting...We'll have to try and meet up at my "garage" at some point

 

[v6Max]

Max,

Fascinating reading as usual and looking forward to the pics to follow.........

Great that youve got the time to do this yourself and dont have to rely too heavily on somebody else doing it....!!!

R............Tim

True - I still need more time though perhaps 30 hours in a day just at weekends

You're right about not needing to rely too heavily on someone else but the other advantage that you get is that as it's "your" car you tend to be, shall we say, more particular about the way things are done. I'm not sure that, had I left the existing workshop to their own devices that they would have looked into technology like the ISIS system, thought about different ways to attack the centre console "problem" etc.

Of course you could argue that it's a case of putting the work into the right peoples hands. In my case though that would mean one company for the engine work, another for the wiring, another for other preparation etc.

The problem with doing it yourself is that a lack of experience can lead to costly errors (both time and money) and sourcing parts is a nightmare - however if you're prepared to put up with these challenges it's definitely very rewarding when something finally comes together