In a message dated 97-05-15 12:35:30 EDT, paul@hobbytyme.com (Paul Arildsen)
writes:
<< Any insight, critisim, encouragement is welcome :) >>
Assuming you have moderate mechanical skills, basic mechanical tools, high
motivation and a place to work I would go for it. A good place to work is
important as the frustration or packing, repacking, opening, storing, moving
, finding , loosing, packing, storing, moving, opening, loosing, parts will
severely reduce you motivation. You will need to work with solvents, they
smell bad and are a fire hazard. You will have to deal with great congealed
chunks of 30+ year old grease and dirt and will create great greasy messes.
The early TR's are a relatively simple beast, parts availability is excellent
as is information and expertise. Get the factory parts manual, a Moss
catalog, and a factory repair manual, or two or three. Read the manual and
study the parts books before you start work. This will help you recognize
parts as you sort. IF you 'unitize' your thinking by functional systems of
the car it is not so overwhelming.
Clean, sort and organize the parts you have into functional systems of the
car as best you can. Bag and tag with ziplock bags. Identify and list
'wear' parts which need to be replaced, bearings, steering & suspension, etc.
Don't fool yourself about installing half worn bearings, etc. This is the
road to disenchantment when trying to actually use the car later. Have new
parts ordered and on hand before you start to rebuild a system, this reduces
frustration and burn out. Lay out the original parts and new parts together
before assembly and compare to the parts books.
Understand as best you can how the thing is supposed to work, before you
start assembly. If things don't fit, you're probably doing something wrong.
Think Zen, go with the parts don't fight them. If you approach with a BFH
in one hand and a torch in the other you will fail. Nurture the beast and
love it, it will respond.
There is nothing quite so rewarding as breathing life back into a pile of
parts, especially at 3,000 RPM in second gear !
Good luck.
Bob Paul Corrales NM
TS45738L"O"
TS7280L (Bought in boxes two years ago, still in boxes, but better organized,
new parts on hand, cleaning, degreasing, bead blasting and painting ongoing.
I love it , and it is responding)
|