Back Into It

Its been a long time coming, But i am finally getting stuck back into the car and getting back into the whole blog deal.
Its been a tough last month or so for me and i took a step back from the car and tried to focus on the other important things in my life. Now, its time to make my dream come true.
If you remember back to where i left off, I had started prepping the engine bay for paint, using paint stripper as my tool i slowly covered the bay in the stuff then waterblasting the residue off. unfortunately the engine bay had a few layers of paint so it took a few attempts to get the majority of the paint of to the state its in now.

Please excuse the brown, it has been sitting for a while and well thats just what happens when metal is exposed and its the metal on an 80's Toyota. So as you can see the majority of the pain is now off and the sealant is slowly coming out of the seams. i have also spent a bit of time messing round and finally getting the seats mounted and the roof lining residue off the roof.

I have taken delivery of my fibreglass doors and they are now being fitted, just waiting on some alloy to make a backing plate inside the door so they dont crack.
Today though we took the day lightly not really getting much done at all easing into the work again i guess. Most of the time was mucking around or sweeping the floor. we spent a bit of time pretending we were mad mike...

Thats me taking the mad mike vantage point...
I spent a fair bit of time pretending i was actually a smallport 4age...

We spent a bit of time chilling in the car pretending we were mad race car drivers...

And talking loads of shit about hellaflush, rollcages and bozo pipes...

So i guess, At the end of the day nothing was really done. Yet we had an absolute blast just chilling out in the shop. A great way to get my mind off other events and get back into making my dreams come true.
Next up, I need to start grinding off brackets on the inside of the car to get this thing finally ready for paint.
I have let this car get in the way of alot of things in my life and sometimes maybe spent to much time on it but at the end of the day, its my dream and everyone wants their dreams to come true. so you can be assured i will keep chipping away at the ae and get the thing going. For me, and for everyone who has supported me along the way and encouraged me to make it happen. Thank you everyone who has stuck by me and kept the dream alive.

Till next time,
Jim

strip off

Its been a long time coming, but i finally got down to the workshop over the weekend and got my strip on.
Since the cage its in need of some colour over the top to keep the rust out. Although as you all know, Paint is in no way shape or form, Cheap. So for someone like myself on the tightest of tight budgets this is something that i only want to pay for once. So obviously, to save me having to do it again i will get it done properly.

Apologies for the shit average cellphone pics, I forgot my camera. As mentioned paint is not cheap, So the more work done by myself before it is shipped off to the panel shop the cheaper its going to be. So being A tight ass, im going to do as much as i can.
On saturday i got down there and pulled out the bottle of Tergostrip i had purchased earlier on in the week.
Tergostrip is a brush on paint stripper that has a texture much the same as PVA glue. The stuff is amazing. You can basicly brush it on and watch the paint peel off as you stroke the brush. Although it burns really bad if you get it on your skin, And makes you feel pretty light headed if your using it in a poorly ventilated space.

As you can see, Round one of Stripping is complete. After a quick water blast this is what the out come was. Due to the previous owner applying a spray can or two of Porirua Pearl Black over the original paint i will need to go over it with another bottle of Tergostrip to get the rest of the paint off but most of it is either off of close to falling off. Then its on to the Scotch to scuff up the surface, a bit of grinding to shave off the extra tags and brackets that are no longer needed and a few holes welded up on the fire wall then off it goes to be painted a nice black. to keep things neat and tidy, Yet easy to fix up if it gets a ding.

But before it goes off to the panel shop the whooooole interior of the car needs the same treatment so i still have quite a way to go before i can put it on the trailor.

On a side note there are alot of people who recognise these cars even in the bare state mine is and recieved a few compliments while it was parked outside getting the stripper blasted off. Most notably a small Asian child pointing and saying to his mother "AE86!".

Next time i will bring my camera with me and get some better quality pics. Once again sorry for the poor quality images.

Jim

high in fibre

Progress has been slow on the AE85 due to a bloody annoying Flu that left me feeling shit average on tuesday so taking a day off work on wednesday was the only option my throat was twangin to say the least!
Sleep in is was good but what does one do when your sick, home alone and car mad you say?
Internet car goodness was the only option so browsing i did, but when one has a race car in the build sometimes things can get out of hand and one makes the most of the few dollars he has with help from the kind folks at visa.
A phone number was written down and called, Some money transfered and with that a deal was done.
My car is now going to be a hell of a lot lighter because of these...

Two fibreglass doors. Money was going to be spent to get the doors on the car fixed up because whoever did the bog job did a way shit job. So for a few dollars more it wasnt really a big expense at the end of the day. The ones i get wont have the bracing on the inside of the door because i am not running any window winders or glass for that matter there for saving more weight. some polycarbonate windows will need to be cut up to shape and fitted with a slide opening. I will also Probably fit some NACA ducts on the rear quarter windows for a bit of extra ventilation.

I took a trip to Bunnings warehouse today to grab some paint stripper and a paintbrush to apply the paint stripper. Unfortunately, due to illness i could'nt really be bothered doing it. So next time i get the chance i will be down there brushing it on and sanding like a mad man to gert the engine bay and interior prepped for paint.

Rods And Race Cars, Rocks and Water

The last few weekends have been jam packed full of automobile goodness for me, Last Sunday i Got up nice and early to get my dads Holden out to the Western Bays Hot Rod show, Expecting to drive his WRX out to the show, I was shocked when, After driving the ute he said "see ya there". So i went with it, Cautiously driving down the streets, Swinging past Jades House to pick her up so we could hang out during the day.

The car made it there, No problems, scratches or dings whilst in my care. The show itself having about 100 different vehicles on display, from a vintage 1932 ford pickup truck in original condition right down to the paint, To choppers and bobber bikes, To a blown V8 Hilux Surf.

There were alot of imaculate cars on display this time round, There were the obvious stands outs of the show, like most shows there is the dollar factor, But for me thats not all that Appeals. If the award for peoples choice was awarded by me alone, The runner up would be this absolute animal...

No cheap piece of steel but Damn this thing appeals to me, Mainly because its street driven and 90% street legal... But the car that takes the cake was probably one of the cheapest in the building and not even particularly exotic was this...

The humble MkII four door escort. This thing was AWESOME! Not mint condition, But just had appeal, Huge racing heritage and did'nt have a dumpy exhaust...
It wasn't just the cars in the show that were awesome, Infact, Some of the coolest cars were the ones that turned up in the car park outside. The coolest of which, was this...

That would be a Rouch Cobra. The only example in the country and a cool way to not get a ferarri....
The Sunday just gone was also filled with Motorsport. To be exact, Shelly Bay Street Sprints held at Shelly Bay. A notoriously unforgiving stretch of road that never fails to take a victim. A beautiful day may have given the illusion of a grippy road, However this is never the case. The road is riddled with stones that get thrown onto the road if the driver before you even slightly cuts a corner making for a real hairy ride...

These facts never seem to be an issue for the people ballsy enough to race the event, But like i said, It never fails to take a victim. This year, It took a victim that really made me die a little inside...

The car came screaming round the corner sending tingles down my spine, looking like it was going to put down a very quick time... Then there were no cars... Then the clerk of the course came round followed by an ambulance... after a few minuites it came back... followed by this...

Hey, Thats motorsports... You don't enter this event if your novice, and you don't enter any event assuming you will get your car off the track as mint as it went on. But thats all part of it.

Seeing this car racing, And hearing it for the first time was pretty awesome. This car Sometimes Has sleepovers while it gets work done in the same work shop that my AE85 resides. Powered by an Abosulte screamer of an A15, This thing absolutely hauls ontop of being absolutely imaculate.

Another victim of the bay was this madcool Anglia powered by some sort of V8. Giving the bank a bit of a love tap and almost completely destroying the driverside rear quarter panel. But not wanting to pack up early he raced throughout the day with the damage. GOOD MAN!

As far as im aware, This was second fastest on the day, Sounding awesome it came past with constant blips and bangs just begging to be unleashed, Which for the most part was due to the blisteringly quick times, Only bettered by this...

The most bad ass FC3S RX-7 i have ever seen in my life this thing was fast! also carrying passengers throughout the day no doubt having an absolute blast! Now im not one who typicly enjoys the sound of a rotary, But this one had me sold. Amazing car.

My new boss turning up, Was passenger during the day in the Yellow FXGT piloted by Rob Vibert. Unfortunately Wayne was unable to race his SR20DET powered MKI Escort due to a broken finger. Fair enough considering the previously spoken about unforgiving nature. One to look out for at the up coming Port Road street sprints.

This is one event i don't think i will be entering right away when my car is done but is one that i can see myself enjoying thoroughly. On topic of the AE, it now has no fuel or brake lines and will be hit with a few cans of paint stripper so i can get the engine bay and interior of the car painted by dave, The owner of the pristine yellow datsun Racing above, At Classic Panel and Paint in Newlands.
Exciting, Expensive stuff.

Jim

Prep For Prep

After a slight inconvenience this morning where a door was left slightly open on my car and the battery died, i shot down to the shop a few hours late. Lucky it was still open and there was time left in the day to do some work on the 85.

The car was taken off the trailor earlier in the day so it was all ready to get to working on. i stasrted by bolting down the seat brackets and putting the seats in position so i could have a sit and make some car noises and pretend hoon. after promptly being told to do some work i got down to it.

To start with, i pulled out the pedal box, Then the brake lines, the brake booster, clutch master cylinder, loom and fuse box, window wiper motor and mechanisim and everything else that will get in the way of paint prep.

Looks like i will be needing some blocks put on the pedals or a booster seat. Even with the seat bolted as far forward as possible i can't actually push the pedals to the ground... minor technicality... not to worry...
I am very happy with the side intrusion bars, These are one thing i was very keen on having perfect as safety is paramount for me. The last thing you want when learning is to slide into a tree and be put off racing by getting really hurt because you had sweet f all safety equipment in your car.

On the inside all that is left to do before i get sanding, is remove the roof liner foam/fluff residue off the roof and remove the sound deadning off the fire wall. In the engine bay its about ready to be sanded, all thats needed now is to give it a thorough clean to remove all the grit and dirt that has settled in with a wire brush and water blast, weld the seam between the firewall and chassis then its all go!

Tomorrow i am heading out early to a hotrod show to give the guys a hand as dads ute is entered. if you have nothing to do tomorrow head out to porirua mall with a small 3 dollars to check out 50 0dd hotrods, muscle cars and anything cool that may have a motor.

Photos will follow, Might see you there!

Jim.

Return Voyage

Today marked the unexpected return of the Tofu Shop 85. The car was completed last week, but due to the extremities of the weather this past week it was simply to risky to get my car, without windows, from Sheldon at Motorsport Developments.
The plan today was to swap the mini for my car as they both live at the same workshop and it needs some cage love from sheldon so taking my car back would kill two birds with one stone.
This is said mini...

Today is the first day i have seen the cage complete with seat mounts, side intrusion bars, harness mount bar and rear strut brace welded in. to my eyes it looks awesome. fully stoked with it. i can't wait to bolt my seats up and harness myself up and have a pretend hoon in my first ever rollcaged car...
Any way the car was promptly loaded up and we were on our way, Off to the west Coast...

So the cars baack in the shop, Now my next job is getting it all nicely documented for motorsport new zealand then get to sanding and prep for paint inside the car and the engine bay. I will post up some nicer photos next time as well as keep everyone up to date with what im taking off and if anything new comes up...

Jim.

Racing Red

The AE is still at Motorsport developments, with the last few bars being welded in, or possibly awaiting pick up, the interior of the car will be in need of a tidy up, with a few brackets to be pulled off etc and the floor spot welded to repair a big dent in the floor. Unfortunately rust isnt something you want to let set it especially when its on the welds of  a roll cage you just spent your life savings on. This Brings me to the subject of paint.

The car was Painted a nice shade of red from factory, although it has been primered and painted black in other places at this stage that is the colour i would like the car to be when finished. With the instalation of the roll cage and the uplifting of all the sound deadening the interior has to be painted. at this stage im thinking all red with black accesories being seats, dash, and everything else that is put back into the car really.
I feel like if i was to paint the interior black, it would all blend in and look boring and aswell as looking boring, i would cook. being a race car without aircon or wind down windows for that matter.

In my opinion, if i was to paint the interior any other colour, say, white for example, it would look tacky and unfinished however ideal white may be, tacky is one thing i do not want my dream race car to be.

Also, my plan at this stage for the outside, is factory red, with black bumpers. I have opted not to paint it in the oh so common panda paint scheme with the black two tone bottom for two reasons, one being its not actually an 86, and two its a hell of a lot cheaper to do it one colour. I don't particularly want to spend even more money than i already have to, to get some stripes put on my door. Plus, it is more blank canvas for potential sponsors.

The end product should look like this... (bar the horid wing)




photo off speedhunters.com


On the topic of red paint, i recently had the pleasure of meeting my friends father Mr Oldridge, and also the pleasure of viewing his freshly painted, (also red) project Walkinshaw. After fitting some tyres to new wheels then fitting the wheels to the rear of his S14 silvia we took off, Up to Grenada to pick up fellow motorsport enthusiest, Reuben Bemrose to go visit Aarons old man as we had found out his car was fresh from the painters. So fresh infact that we were there to witness its first roll out into the sun.

Thats Aaron with his 17x9s and Titahi bay spec tribal tattoo

And here is the Holden, Paint still to be cut and polished. Might i remind you that it is due for the walkinshaw kit to be put on, Those of you who are unsure of what that is, do look it up. They are a very large kit in surface area and basicly take another 4l of paint just to do the kit. Unfortunately the kit was in the garage not on the car at this stage, but it looked just as good as the car if not better. This will be a real looker when its pieced together and rolling the streets. On a side note, The car is RB30...

More photos to come when the interior is back in, tints are done and the kit is fitted. and as always more photos of the AE85.

Jim,