THE BUILD ~ My Time Spent

SUMMARY

Month Hours Doing
August 2002 1 Stripping first donor components, sent column to Dax
September 30¾ Collect chassis, fitted floor and started trimming other ali panels.
October 45¼ Diff, dedion, bearing carriers, driveshafts, interior cockpit panels, tranmission footwell panels.
November 18½ Ears and rear bulkhead
December 35½ Reconditioning rear components and seat mountings.
January 2003 12½ Front callipers and steering rack.
February 14½ Extra inner side panels, tunnel fixings.
March 27½ Tunnel, rear brakes inc' handbrake.
April 27 Front brake pipes, scuttle position, demisters, wipers, escutcheons, pedal box cover.
May 48¼ Engine arrives, trial fitted, positioning of components, engine out.
June 48¼ Cockpit panels, steering column, battery shelf, pedal box cover, pedals, fuel regulator, brake pipes, fuel lines, ENGINE IN, propshaft, starter motor, rear wiring, tunnel and started rear tub.
July 23 Lots of wiring, plus, steering correction, special lower coolant pipe, oil cooler/filter pipework, alternator, radiator, fan, engine turned over on starter to pump oil.
August 19¾ More wiring, choke cable, fixing transmission tunnel, initial work on side panels and bonnet position.
September 34¾ Dash layout, side panels, port exhaust, rear tub fixtures.
October 42½  
November 22  
December 30½ Nose cone, wiring, bonnet, wiper gear, carpets, front suspension, headlights and radiator grill.
January 2004 46¾ Radiator grill, windscreen, carpets, kick strips, front wings and alarm system.
February 67 Scuttle, hydraulics, bonnet catches, SVA application, LIFT DOWN, stalks, dashboard, rear wings, rear lights, suspension set-up, pond liner, wing mirrors and harnesses.
March 37¾ Dash infill panels, carpets, MOT, SVA, Registration.
TOTAL 633  

 

DETAIL

Month Date Hours Doing
Earlier     I have been reading all things Dax for nearly a year and placed my order back in April.  However, this log is only for "hands on" time, not research.  These 

August

2002

 24 1
Dis-assembled steering column, wheel, cowl and switches ready to send to Dax.
Removed calipers and discs from knuckles and lower balljoint nuts.
       
September 2002  
  14 12
Collecting the chassis
Checking off inventory and squirreling bits away.
  15 1 ½ Finished making the trestles, turned chassis upside down, rubbed down few rough patches of powder coat
  16 ½ Cleaned rough edges off SVA bars ready for chroming.
  18 2 Trimmed the 2 large floor panels to fit.
  20 2 Trimmed first inner side panel and drilled its lower holes.
  21 3 Second inner side panel and drilled main floor panels
  22 5 Drilled chassis, fitted both floor panels and both front infill panels.
  25 ½ Two diff bushes and ball joint.
  27 1 Remaining diff bushes and A-frame
  28 ¼ Trailing arm bushes
  29 3 Trimming and drilling foot well panels and interior ali side panels.
TOTAL   30 ¾ for September
       
October 2002  
  2 1 Painting and preparing interior ali panels
  3 1¼ Unpacked diff and ali panels again.
  4 4½ Fitted diff - yes it really did take four hours (and that's two of us)
  5 1½ Cleaning donor parts, taking first drive shaft apart.
  6 5 Strip rear sub frame initial clean.  Install dedion tube.
  7 1 Fill diff with oil, cleaning donor bearing carriers
  9 ½ More cleaning of donor stuff
  10 1 First of the wheel bearing removed.
  11 ½ Fitted springs to shocks and put new seats in place for no real reason.
  12 5½ Fitted rear springs and shocks.  Second wheel bearing removed.  Cleaning donor components.
  13 4½ Cleaning Components.  Painting some of the bits.  Tried fitting of nearside transmission tunnel panel.
  15 1 Fitted passenger footwell end panel.
  16 1 Trial fitted passenger transmission panel, and started on nearside ears.
  19 5 Painted Bearing Carriers, fitted nearside cockpit ali side panel.
  20 4 Drivers transmission tunnel panel, trial fitted and general tidy up.
  24 ¾ Fitted bearing carriers, stub axles and wheel flanges.
  25 ½ Cleaning CV joints.
  26 5 Re-assembled and fitted driveshafts and started rear brake pipes.
  27 1¾ More brake pipe and offside cockpit ali side panel.
TOTAL   45 ¼ for October
    77 for Build
       

November 2002

  
  2 2½ Prepared the 'Rear Bulkhead Side Panels' (aka ears).
  3 1½ Fitted the "ears" prepared yesterday.
  9 4 Preparing rear bulkhead panel and improving fit of transmission tunnel.  
  10 4½ Bracket for fuel pump and more work on rear bulkhead panel.
  12 ¾ Wurthed Wing Piping round top curve of rear bulkhead panel and fuel pump bracket.
  16 3¼ Fitted rear bulkhead panel, fuel pump and tank.
  24 2 Started stripping / cleaning rear brake callipers.
TOTAL   18½ for November
    95½ for Build
       
December 2002  
  15 5 Stripped, cleaned and painted rear callipers
  21 2½ re-assembled first calliper
  22 4 Finished rear callipers, assembled steering column and offered up, cut ali' sheet.
  26 4½ Working out / starting, fixings for high back seats.
  27 4 More work on seat fixings and extra floor rivets.
  28 5 Finished seat brackets and painted them, cut some outer ali side panels and devised alternative handbrake arrangement.
  29 5½ Cleaning front hubs and callipers.
  30 2 More cleaning of hubs.
  31 3 Painting front hubs, and cleaning callipers
TOTAL   35½ for December
    131 for Build
       
January 2003  
  1 3 Preparing callipers including filing space for banjo connection.
  18 2 Final clean of callipers and painted both them and the quick-rack.
  25 4 Fitted steering rack, and worked on filling out front calliper carriers.
  26 3½ Finished carriers, cleaned and painted them.
TOTAL   12½ for January
    143½ for Build
       
February 2003  
  1 4 Upgrade of diff output flanges, fitted pre-pump filter, extra side panels.
  2 4 Finished fitting the additional ali side panels.
  22 4½ Slimmed steering column (I have late model Dax recommend early).  Finally worked out how I am going to do the transmission tunnel.
  23 2 Finished new tunnel bracket and waterproofing infill, fitted as well.
TOTAL   14½ for February
    158 for Build
       
March 2003  
  2 3 Tunnel fixings.
  11 1 Tunnel again.
  16 3 Tunnel - at last I think I have made it watertight.
  17 1½ Spreader plates, and handbrake contemplations.
  19 ½ Handbrake cables.
  21 ½ New wheel studs,
  22 3½ Masking and painting rear brake discs.
  23 2 Curing paint and masking up front discs.
  25 1½ Fitted nearside rear brakes for final time?  And pre-pump fuel pipes.
  26 1 Fitted offside rear brakes and rear handbrake cables.
  29 5 Painted front discs, handbrake mountings.  Fitted speedo reed switch and fuel tank sender.  Tunnel services plate.
  30 5 Determined scuttle position and fixed.
TOTAL   27½ for March
    185½ for Build
       
April 2003  
  9 1½ Started work on front brake pipes and component positions.
  10 1 More front brake pipe.
  12 4½ Vent escutcheons and wiper spindle holes
  13 2 Other vent
  14 2 Working out demister duct and wiper parts positions.
  15 ½ General pottering and thinking time.
  16 1 Started fitting 12v heaters and wiper boxes.
  22 1¼ Cleaning Engine Mounts
  26 5 Demister ducting, 12v heaters, brake master cylinders, painting engine mounts and footwell end panel.
  27 5 Wiper motor mounting plate, battery shelf trimming, pedal box cover
  28 1½ Fitted wiper motor, bracket for fuel pump and positioning of scuttle cut out.
  29 1½ Scuttle cut out and wurthing in recessed dish.
  30 ½ Working out next cuts.
TOTAL   27 for April
    212½ for Build
       
May 2003  
  6 1 Cut round pedal box rails, loosely fitted scuttle.
  7 2 Engine arrives, unpacking and fixing gearbox to engine and engine mounts loosely into car.
  8 3½ Lowering onto axle stands and first attempt and trial fitting engine/gearbox.
  9 1 Oil filter and gearbox lugs removed.
  10 3 Gelcoat, painting and general tidy up
  11 3½ More fibre glassing, ENGINE IN.
  12 2¼ Pedal box positioning etc.
  13 1½ Steering column positioning started and front plumbing routes.
  14 2 ditto.
  24 5 Half moon plate, clutch slave cylinder, radiator and oil cooler brackets.
  25 6½ Oil Cooler, Radiator.  EWP Bracket.  Various thoughts.
  26 6½ EWP, Oil Filter Bracket, Gearbox mount, Pipe routes?, Tunnel modifications
  27 1½ Battery Shelf Layout
  28 1 Coolant pipework order.
  29 ½ Positioning and bolt/rivet holes.
  30 1 Unpacking parcels and working out throttle cable.
  31 6½ Throttle, final positioning decisions, then engine out.
TOTAL   48¼ for May
    260¾ for Build
       
June 2003  
  1 4 Lots of holes, then drivers footwell end panel, gearbox plug.
  2 1½ Triangular transmission tunnel panels fitted
  3 2 Steering column.
  4 1¾ Battery shelf and pedal box cover fitted.
  5 2 Pedals and fuel regulator.
  6 1½ Brake pipes.
  7 5 Brakes, fuel lines, battery tray, misc' fittings.
  8 7 Engine in, starter motor, fuel, propshaft.
  13 2 Cutting another hole in the tunnel.
  14 6 Fibre glassing of tunnel, steering column align and final fit, fit EWP, start making rear wiring harness.
  15 7 Earth points, brake pipe flared, fitted tunnel, connect handbrake, trial light pod.
  19 ¾ Getting rear tub out of storage and initial trimming thoughts.
  21 3½ Rear wiring.
  24 1 More positioning and fettling on the rear tub.
  25 1½ More positioning and fettling on the rear tub.
  26 1¾ More positioning and fettling on the rear tub.
TOTAL   48¼ for June
    309 for Build
       
July 2003  
  12 3 Steering correction, and wiring.
  13 4 Wiring and bracket for special lower coolant pipe.
  17 ¾ Oil pipework
  19 4 Re-make brackets, fit first water pipes, fit alternator.
  20 7 Fit EWP and some water pipes.  Fit oil cooler, remote filter, radiator and fan.  Rear tub and some work on making front wiring loom.
  22 1½ Fan controller and wiring.
  23 1½ Wiring and alternator adjustor bracket.
  28 1¼ Remaining oil pipes, blanking plug and turning engine over.
TOTAL   23 for July
    332 for Build
       
August 2003  
  22 1½ Wiring and Air Horns
  23 2½ Wiring
  24 5 Wiring, transmission tunnel and choke cable bracket
  25 6½ Side panels
  26 2½ Choke cable and side panels.
  27 1¾ Bonnet positioning.
TOTAL   19¾ for August
    351¾ for Build
       
September 2003  
  1 ¾ Dash Layout.
  16 7 Expansion tank, side panels, port exhaust.
  18 7½ Fuel pipe, side panels, carpets.
  20 6 Nearside exhaust, fuel filler cap.
  21 4 High level brake light, number plate light, number plate surround and screen wash bottle.
  27 2½ Scuttle
  28 7 Side panel, trial fit exhaust, level engine, holes into side panel.
TOTAL   34¾ for September
    386½ for Build
       
October 2003  
  1 6½ Side panel, exhaust, wiring and front flexi brake pipes.
  2 6½ Expansion tank, top coolant hose, some adjustments and scuttle wiring.
  4 3 Wiring
  5 5½ Wiring and coolant system.
  6 to 10 2 Wiring and fuel leak. 
  14 1 Lead organisers on rocker covers.
  15 ½ Air Filter, Connecting dash and fuel leaks.
  17 1 Run on timer, fuel sender wiring, battery on charge.
  18 5 Engine start and oil pressure problems.
  19 2½ Remove leaky fuel tank, carpets and wiring.
  20 ¼ Gluing wing piping onto the leading edge of bonnet.
  21 1¼ Fit replacement fuel tank.
  25 3 Bonnet, screen wash nozzle and headlights.
  26 2 Wiring.
  28 1½ Wiring, refitting oil gauge and sender.
29 1 Started and checked for oil leaks and pressure readings when warm
TOTAL   42½ for October
429 for Build
November 2003
1 2 Wiring, remedial work on headlamp shells, thoughts on column shroud.
2 2 Wiring and approx hole in bonnet for air filter.
15 & 16 3 Carpet, screen wash and wiring.
17 3 Alternator, Carpet and Seat Mountings
18 1½ Carpet
22 2½ Wiring
23 4 More Wiring
24 ½ More Wiring - headlights now work correctly.
25 ½ Nose cone trial.
29 3 Nose cone pivot and carpeting.
TOTAL 22 for November
451 for Build
December 2003
8 1½ Nose cone pivot mounting.
  9 2½ Nose cone rear brackets.
13 1½ Wiring
14 2 Wiring and bonnet.
16 1 Bonnet
17 ¼ Wing Piping onto front of bonnet.
21 3 Wiper Gear, Scuttle & Carpet
22 ¼ Finisher ring and gear lever gaiter.
25 1 Front wishbone bushes.
26 4 Carpets & Nearside front suspension.
27 4 Gear lever gaiter, Nearside front suspension & Brakes.
28 3 Offside front suspension, Brakes & Wheels.
29 2 Bonnet
31 4½ Headlights & Radiator grill
TOTAL 30½ for December
    481½ for Build
       
January 2004
1 1½ Radiator grill
2 3½ Cowl & Windscreen supports.
3 5 Windscreen and carpets.
4 2½ Cowl
7 1 Swap front callipers over, nearside/offside.
11 5 Suspension, steering rack extensions & ball joints, carpets.
12 ¼ Carpet and floor foam.
14 1 Carpet and seats.
16 1 Carpet.
17 3 Little jobs and thinking.
18 5 Pedal stop, carpet, dashboard and kick strips.
19 1 Breather, tight wheel and kick strip.
24 4 Kick strips and nearside front cycle wing.
25 5 Steering column cowl and stalks.
30 2 Offside front wing.
31 6 Indicator stalks, alarm and wing piping on nearside front.
TOTAL 46¾ for January
528¼ for Build
February 2004
1 4½ Scuttle fitted, hydraulics fitted.
2 1½ Bleeding, testing clutch etc, front wings.
3 1 Bonnet latches and SVA application form.
4 ¼ Marking for bonnet catch positions.
5 1¼ Fitting lower halves of bonnet catches.
6 1 Bonnet catches, upper sections.
7 6 LIFT DOWN, garage spring clean and dashboard edging.
8 4 Stalks and dashboard.
9 ½ Dashboard
10 1 Dashboard
13 1 Miscellaneous
14 6 Nearside rear wing and dashboard.
15 6 Offside rear wing, rear lights and dashboard.
16 1½ Rear lights.
17 1½ Covered dashboard in vinyl.
18 3 Instruments fitted to dashboard.
20 2½ Dashboard fitted into car.
21 5 Rear lights fitted, front suspension tightened and initial set-up.
22 6 Front suspension set-up, Isoflex underside of wings, fitted fog light, wired rear lights.
24 1 Pond liner.
26 ½ Wing mirrors.
27 1½ Pond liner and covering dash lower edge trim.
28 6½ Booked MOT, pond liner, made first of infill panels for under dashboard, fitted the first section of dash lower edge trim, stiffened headlamp shells and covered main section of dash trim.
29 4 Pond liner finished, harness's fitted and started exhaust wrap.
TOTAL 67 for February
595¼ for Build
March 2004
3 1½ Under dash infill panel number two.
5 2 Infill panel 3 and carpet in pond liner.
6 4 Infill panel 3
7 5 Finished carpet in pond liner, fitted dashboard lower trim, fitted infill panel 2, exhaust wrap and changed washers at the leaky brake banjo.
8 2 Tighten brakes and polish exhausts.
9 6

Bleed brakes, adjust rear ride height and shocks.

MOT and test drives including brake balance.
10 1 Handbrake and infill panel number three.
14 2 Final infill panel and a good wash.
15 3 Grease, fuel, small adjustments and pack tools into support vehicle.
16 3 SVA (excluding drive time).
23 1½ Number plates, tax disc, rear view mirror changed.
25 1¼ Front mud flaps.
26 2 Mud flaps and sump gasket.
27 2½ Hood frame brackets, fuel sender adjustments and brake leak.
28 1 Sticking throttle.
TOTAL 37¾ for March
633 for Build

Last Updated 29/03/2004