deano
yes PM if anyone doesnt have a PDf copy.
And Drew, I finally got around. Are you still at same address?
 
 

PM sent.

Got the hubs back from the machine shop and I think we are cooking with gas now.


 
Plenty of clearance for activities now, a stone could still get jammed up in there but I think that would always be a possibility. On the weekend I will pack up the bearings, chuck the seals in and button it all up then it will be on to the brake lines.

 
 
And of course you can't have a hub on without test fitting the wheel.... It really shows how far the caster is pushed forward .

New seals in, bearings are packed, calipers are buttoned up and that is everything ready to go minus brake pads.


 
I had a bit of extra time today so started the process of putting the heater box back in. As I said once I started putting in bits it's pushed the firewall blanket material right up against the firewall which is great.


 
I also have started the process of neatening up the wiring loom under the dash - even for a simple little car there is a fair bit of spaghetti to tame.

Hey Mark, have a squiz at this vid, good old Urchfab has designed adjustable ARB mounts !
https://youtu.be/b41a1vsBE3Y?si=o4SAxo2c01_RQ1Y5
Wonder how much they'll be..

Ha great idea with the bolt on a separate plate to adjustment from the back, I went 20mm forward with mine from stock and he went 23mm so its looking like I was in the ballpark for max caster.

Looks like you have a science experiment of your own to do now Marty!

martymexico
Hey Mark, have a squiz at this vid, good old Urchfab has designed adjustable ARB mounts !
https://youtu.be/b41a1vsBE3Y?si=o4SAxo2c01_RQ1Y5
Wonder how much they'll be..

Saw that too and really liked it, I cut up and repositioned mine however this is a far better option.
 

Been away for work for a week and been tackling a few house jobs so haven't had really any garage time since last update.

I got back today though to a good amount of packages so I have things to keep me going now. Looking forward to the long weekend coming up!

Before the work trip I decided to try my hand with zinc plating, I watched a few videos and saw that a guy was getting great results with just a battery pack and some anodes and the bright gold chemical. Jane kits had a sale on so the anodes and gold wash was less than 50 bucks, the rest I had laying around - apart from the battery caddy and batteries, which was like $15 from Jaycar.


 
My first attempt was one of the random pinto engine bolts, I cleaned it up and gave it a crack and the zinc stuck really well. The gold not so much. I think I need to figure out a way to heat up the gold solution to get it to bond properly.
 

 
I put a bunch of salt in there too - maybe a bit too much but I'm sure it will dissolve by tomorrow, I currently have the anodes just putting ions into the water right now.


 
I want to give the old front hard brake lines a crack tomorrow to see how they turn out, should be a fun little experiment. 

So after a bit more research it turns out I need a "brightening" solution - nitric acid - between the zinc and the gold to get that shiny zinc gold finish.

Someone on the forum was doing the zinc plating at home but can't remember who that was..
It's something I want to try .

Also going back to the Urchfab escort which is painted in midnight, I got a email from him as the car is going to be raffled off

martymexico
Someone on the forum was doing the zinc plating at home but can't remember who that was..
It's something I want to try .

That was I😁
All the bits that I did have held up so far with no signs of corrosion/ rust.
I didn't use the solution though as I was just after a plain silver finish.
Mark, don't worry about the salt, the more the merrier for conductivity, I used zinc anodes meant for outboard motors, easy and cheap to find at boat shops.
A fish tank bubbler helps to agitate the mixture and keep everything suspended.
I played with different amperage phone chargers and had the best results with a low and slow approach, about 0.8 amp in my small scale set up, 3-4 pieces over 3-4 hours.
Don't let me cramp your style though, it's a good fun project that lets you learn as you go.
 
P.S. I'm expecting, nay, demanding you give it a go too Marty! I think you'd enjoy the process 👍