Derek Nicol
Well-known user
What was this thread about again?.. i forget.. 
What have YOU being doing or are you planning to do with your Vette?
- Thread starter Daytona Vette
- Start date
James Vette
CCCUK Member
Most turn into classic song playlists.What was this thread about again?.. i forget..
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
Simples . "Hoody floody hoody floody " Skoll !Of course they spoke French, you try walking into your local Bakery and asking for a loaf of bread in Norwegian
Derek Nicol
Well-known user
Derek Nicol
Well-known user
Well im planning on driving my Vette (before we get in trouble and get sent to the naughty step) to Peterborough on Sunday and walking into Krispy Kreme and asking for a Coffee & a doughnut... in English!
Krispy Kreme Sun 13th June 2021 Peterboghorror
Krispy Kreme Sun 13th June 2021 Peterboghorror
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
Thank the gods for that .I have no words
CaptainK
CCCUK Member
I recently had the hanger on my fake rear exhaust (driver side) welded up. I didn't do the welding for many reasons.... mostly I don't have a welder and I'd probably end the world if I did. But I did take the exhaust off and put it back on again after it was fixed. Little things I know......
Still haven't found time to do the other rear brake disc or the oil change on my project car. Too busy (and Chuffer if you are watching - not done much on my "loft conversion" in over two weeks either).
Still haven't found time to do the other rear brake disc or the oil change on my project car. Too busy
(and Chuffer if you are watching - not done much on my "loft conversion" in over two weeks either).
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
I am watching , and shame on you ! You shouldn`t be going off on jollies . As for the fake exhaust , you could have used a fake welder then you wouldn`t set fire to anything .I recently had the hanger on my fake rear exhaust (driver side) welded up. I didn't do the welding for many reasons.... mostly I don't have a welder and I'd probably end the world if I did. But I did take the exhaust off and put it back on again after it was fixed. Little things I know......
Still haven't found time to do the other rear brake disc or the oil change on my project car. Too busy
antijam
CCCUK Member
What I've been doing lately is something I planned to do shortly after buying my 'vert over two years ago. At last I've got round to fitting a new soft top!
After perhaps somewhat prematurely stripping off the old top last November, buying a replacement in December, and modding the frame fixing to the car last month, this last two weeks of fine weather left me with no further excuses.
By the way, I don't expect you T-top owners to read any further - you've got enough problems of your own; however fitting a soft top turned out to be quite a lot more than just stretching some fabric over the frame and tacking it down.
The frame is quite a complex five-bow affair and 50 years of life and neglect had left its mark; suffice to say I spent a lot of time straightening, derusting, repainting and fitting new tack strips before refitting it .......then the fun started.....
This is the underside of the header bow - in surprisingly good condition. Often the 'tabs' used to retain the tack strip have rusted off.
Frame refitted to the car - painted and with new tack strips fitted.
The weather stripping (6 pieces) is refitted and the door panels removed to start adjusting frame and windows for best possible fit. This turned out to be a matter of compromise, no sooner had I optimised one fit, somewhere else had drifted off. After four days of faffing about I threw in the towel, decided the fit was as good as it was going to get.
The soft top kit from Al Knoch via CK is very comprehensive; as well as the top itself and the pads, it included new tack strips, ten pieces of new weatherstripping and all fasteners - and even a couple of 'pop' rivets for reattaching the tension springs. I'd downloaded Al's instructional video, which despite having the quality of a cheap '70's porn film, is over an hour long and actually very helpful. I won't go through the detail but would just say to anyone thinking of a top replacement, stainless steel staples coupled with a pneumatic staple gun are a good investment. The staples holding the original top had rusted badly and a manual stapler is difficult use in the narrow channels of the bows. After a thousand staples or so no-one wants 'staple finger fatigue'!
Frame with new pads stapled to header and first , second and third bows.
Fitting the actual top went quite well and everything tightened up nicely with only the side 'sail' panels needing a little heat application to help stretch them taut.
Top fitted and stapled to number three bow, 'Sail' panels yet to be stretched and attached and the 'wire-on' welt to cover the staples also not yet fitted. Note the presence of the original 'Dealer - do not remove' bus ticket on the left....
The finished job...
The top will stay up for the next couple of weeks to give it time to 'settle in', but that's no hardship as I can actually see out of the rear window now! After that it can go down and probably never see the light of day again in my ownership.....
After perhaps somewhat prematurely stripping off the old top last November, buying a replacement in December, and modding the frame fixing to the car last month, this last two weeks of fine weather left me with no further excuses.
By the way, I don't expect you T-top owners to read any further - you've got enough problems of your own; however fitting a soft top turned out to be quite a lot more than just stretching some fabric over the frame and tacking it down.
The frame is quite a complex five-bow affair and 50 years of life and neglect had left its mark; suffice to say I spent a lot of time straightening, derusting, repainting and fitting new tack strips before refitting it .......then the fun started.....
This is the underside of the header bow - in surprisingly good condition. Often the 'tabs' used to retain the tack strip have rusted off.
Frame refitted to the car - painted and with new tack strips fitted.
The weather stripping (6 pieces) is refitted and the door panels removed to start adjusting frame and windows for best possible fit. This turned out to be a matter of compromise, no sooner had I optimised one fit, somewhere else had drifted off. After four days of faffing about I threw in the towel, decided the fit was as good as it was going to get.
The soft top kit from Al Knoch via CK is very comprehensive; as well as the top itself and the pads, it included new tack strips, ten pieces of new weatherstripping and all fasteners - and even a couple of 'pop' rivets for reattaching the tension springs. I'd downloaded Al's instructional video, which despite having the quality of a cheap '70's porn film, is over an hour long and actually very helpful. I won't go through the detail but would just say to anyone thinking of a top replacement, stainless steel staples coupled with a pneumatic staple gun are a good investment. The staples holding the original top had rusted badly and a manual stapler is difficult use in the narrow channels of the bows. After a thousand staples or so no-one wants 'staple finger fatigue'!
Frame with new pads stapled to header and first , second and third bows.
Fitting the actual top went quite well and everything tightened up nicely with only the side 'sail' panels needing a little heat application to help stretch them taut.
Top fitted and stapled to number three bow, 'Sail' panels yet to be stretched and attached and the 'wire-on' welt to cover the staples also not yet fitted. Note the presence of the original 'Dealer - do not remove' bus ticket on the left....
The finished job...
The top will stay up for the next couple of weeks to give it time to 'settle in', but that's no hardship as I can actually see out of the rear window now! After that it can go down and probably never see the light of day again in my ownership.....
Derek Nicol
Well-known user
![Screenshot_20210623-084617~2[1].png](/data/attachments/11/11700-d7b3a6009274c1b8a5147afd4ec30a51.jpg)
![Screenshot_20210623-084637~2[1].png](/data/attachments/11/11701-4690a253a146db5e9b9d4afdadbee7e0.jpg)
![Screenshot_20210623-084644~2[1].png](/data/attachments/11/11702-153f8725a105d81c02d4e91087a19d77.jpg)
theseoldcars
Well-known user
I recently got around to fitting a set of old era-correct forged three-piece BBS RS 178 wheels, designed specifically for the car, which had taken me about two years to find and import. They need a good clean and polish but they look the part.
I also fitted a set of new Continental ExtremeContact Sport tyres, which had to be imported as well. I didn't really want to go that route, due to the cost, but it was ultimately the only option I was happy with.
What blew me away is the fact that the wheel and tyre combo is 4.5kg lighter than the original. Not across the car – at each corner! I had hoped for an improvement but didn't imagine it would be that much.
It drives in a noticeably improved fashion, unsurprisingly. Definitely heading in the right direction...
I also fitted a set of new Continental ExtremeContact Sport tyres, which had to be imported as well. I didn't really want to go that route, due to the cost, but it was ultimately the only option I was happy with.
What blew me away is the fact that the wheel and tyre combo is 4.5kg lighter than the original. Not across the car – at each corner! I had hoped for an improvement but didn't imagine it would be that much.
It drives in a noticeably improved fashion, unsurprisingly. Definitely heading in the right direction...
Derek Nicol
Well-known user
Im planning on how to ever get my Vette out of the garage again... theres now three milk floats in the way, my eldests new Mini electric arrived yesterday.
I need to sell the combi van, its getting silly.
I need to sell the combi van, its getting silly.
Daytona Vette
Well-known user
I took the Daytona down to Custom Exotics yesterday for some TLC with a few bits - a nice 140 mile trip one way but not so good in a Vauxhall what not hire car on the way back, she was wandering at 65 - 70 on the motorway, the pedal box was in the wrong place, the brakes were not progressive and even after 140 miles they were still trying to put me through the windscreen, amazing the drive in a 42 year old was safer and better than a new Vauxhall what not.
Interesting to note that the reason that (in the Westmidlands at least) the Police use Vauxhall Astras in copious quantities, is because Vauxhall give them lifetime warranties on parts and not that they are a better car than others
Interesting to note that the reason that (in the Westmidlands at least) the Police use Vauxhall Astras in copious quantities, is because Vauxhall give them lifetime warranties on parts and not that they are a better car than others
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
Three milk floats !!! Is this some sort of secret obsession you have been hiding from us ?
Can i order two bottles of gold top and a tub of double cream please !
Derek Nicol
Well-known user
Oneball
CCCUK Member
Oooohh!.. Gold Top on Cornflakes... im a teenager again.
Reminds me of warm slightly off milk in those little bottles at primary school.
Derek Nicol
Well-known user
Anyway!... lovely Convertible Top, cracking Differential and Beautiful wheels guys!..
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
Yuk ! It nearly put me off milk for life ! And in the winter is was frozen solid and pushing the top off from standing in the crates out in the playground .
Reminds me of warm slightly off milk in those little bottles at primary school.
