Santawillis

49 minutes ago, Leucadian said:

I've been to the SDYC a few times, and I've never seen a car like this there.  My friend's dad used to be the commodore.  I'll send them the picture and see if he knows.

Thank you thank you!!!!

Rafael

Update #2!

The attempt to secure the studs into the fiberglass using a combination of JB Weld and fiberglass filler didn't go as planned. During the process of mounting and adjusting the spacing, the studs detached from the JB Weld, leaving their threads behind without providing any structural support. This compromise in stability meant the hood could potentially become a danger at high speeds. Fortunately, my brother lent his skills to the project, crafting steel triangles to which he welded the studs. We then integrated these reinforcements into the fiberglass hood, adhering them with the same bonding method previously used. This enhancement significantly improved the hood's structural integrity. Additionally, we applied paint and trim, enhancing its appearance significantly. I'm quite pleased with the improved look!

I came into possession of my 1976 2002 in October 2022, knowing little about its past. The person I bought it from had purchased it from someone in Wisconsin, who themselves had bought it on Ebay from an Arizona seller. The vehicle still has its original front windshield, now cracked, adorned with a "San Diego Yacht Club" parking sticker.

Originally, the car was painted in Granatrot but has since been repainted in a shade of light blue that falls somewhere between Atlanta Blue and Fjord Blue, though I have yet to identify the precise paint code.

If anyone has any recollection of this car parked there let me know, you can faintly see the sticker on the bottom right corner of the windshield 

Take this link, which I used for my 1976, and either change the URL to put your year in or search in the upper bar. 

Then follow @popovm's way! Click clearance only.

Update!

I've made progress on the hood project. I began by sanding the hood's surface with a power sander, initially using 220 grit paper but then switched to 80 grit after conducting some spot tests and finding the former too gentle. To address the cracks and front pin holes near the hinge—aiming to potentially utilize the original factory hinge—I applied a mix of long hair and short hair fiberglass filler. I started by sealing the pin-induced holes on the hood's topside with aluminum tape, filling them with long hair fiberglass filler on the underside, and then returning to the top, where I used fine fiberglass filler to create a smooth finish. After it dried, I shaped it by sanding it. The filler also helped repair the cracked corners, and I managed to outline the hinge holes, laying the groundwork for their installation. I marked the bolt locations, drilled them, and secured 6 M8x42 studs into the hood's bottom with JB Weld. A robust layer of long hair fiberglass filler was then applied to enhance structural strength, resulting in a very solid feel. Today, I finished with several layers of sandable primer to smooth out the deeper blemishes, using up two cans before deciding it looked good enough to stop. I've documented the process with photos and hope you won't critique my setup too harshly  

I will update with results!

4 hours ago, Freude am Fahren said:

 

Maybe if an M1 can be found for good value? 

M1s and Turbos have made their way into project car unobtainium, but I am sure a few pop up here and there. What budget are you looking for? I'll keep my eyes peeled!

8 hours ago, Daily02 said:

Very interesting. They are using old tire moulds and using modern race compound rubber. This takes the CN36 out as well. 7C (45F)... That is 5 months out of the year.

 

The CN36 and the Vedestein Sprint TW 160 are for cars that sit in heated garages waiting for that perfect day, or possibly Vintage Racers that must run a stock sizes.

 

It seems real street 02's are limited to "trailer" tires, and low budget all season radials. The 02 is a light car, and will likely make the most of this limited rubber.

 

It almost makes me want to go with 15 X 7's for some okay choices, but low grip will allow for easier sliding at under take me away in hand cuffs speeds on mountain roads.

 

Regards

 

Dono

I had an autocross prepped E30 with 200TW tires and, at one point, Hoosiers which I believe are 40TW. Kept it in an unheated garage and I did not notice a performance drop or an impact on the longevity of the tires. 

I don't think the tire sitting in place in the cold impacts anything. If tires are being moved from one warehouse to another they are not going to move them in a temperature-controlled container or truck. Even running them probably are fine if you are okay with a very tail-happy experience

My 2 cents!

Rafael

43 minutes ago, tzei said:

Gelcoat pretty cracked - lots of work to get nice paint on it. Sand carefully, light pressure & change sanding pads sooner than later.

 

No need to use those exact pin locations. Patch them up and choose others if you want.

Power sander okay if I run low high grit sandpaper? 

Thank you @M3M3M3 and @Son of Marty

I think I may just run pins, although not ideal it will be easier to align the hood and save me a ton of time from re-enforcing, I did not take into account the flex!

Rafael

Looking good!! Following this one!

Rafael

46 minutes ago, Son of Marty said:

Was it built with the hinge mounts?

Negative! Looks like this, was hoping to fabricate some hinge mounts 

Happy Sunday!

I recently acquired an affordable fiberglass hood for my 2002 model, as my original hood has unfortunately become riddled with rust, resembling lightweight Swiss cheese. This replacement hood was previously part of an old race car that's now retired. I'm considering reusing the original stock hinges combined with four hood pins, but I'm curious about what others have used for mounting fiberglass hoods.

Obviously, a re-spray is in order as well for the hood

Rafael

53 minutes ago, Gordon said:

Problem is,  decent 13" tires are going the way of the dinosaur in the US market.  I realize that you can order Pirelli CN36 from Longstone in the UK or order 185/70 from Coker tire for $200/tire. Even decent 195/60-14 for bottlecaps are getting hard to find.  

Truth! Not cheap to run these tires in the US. A full set of Sprint Classics at Tire Rack is going for over $800USD. Does anyone know anywhere that is cheaper?

15 hours ago, ray_ said:

Is there a GoFundMe for a heated garage?

 

😁

ain't no heated garage that is going to hold up to the weather we have been having lately in Chicago... it's been brutal.

Chicago sees longest stretch of extreme cold weather in nearly 30 years

CHICAGO.SUNTIMES.COM

---

High temperatures have not gone above 5 degrees for three consecutive days. That hasn’t happened since February 1996, the National Weather Service says. CPS classes will resume Wednesday.

Maybe the brutal cold wave has something to do with the numbers? It would be interesting to see the map of number of members by state or region. I know I haven't been as active this month from the cold alone! 

3 hours ago, jgerock said:

edited:  Below is my observation.  Not a criticism directed to anyone.

 

I count (17) responders so far that elect not to pay a little bit for a “prime” membership to this site.

 

How did I determine that?  The word “Solex” appears below your avatar picture.

 

To those folks, doesn’t it bother you to weed thru pop up ads all the time?  I HATE pop up ads. To me, that would deter any use of a site.

 

Also, there are several FAQ members who regularly promote this site on SM (mainly FB) and even post links to topics covered here.  Shoutout goes to Gordon and John McWilliams for doing this all the time.

 

Jim

16

8 minutes ago, popovm said:

 

I got "lucky" and was able to buy my rust bucket '76 for $2800 on a rainy night near the Chittenden Locks in the parking lot of the Totem House Red Mill Burgers (now knocked down for a modern Pagliacci unfortunately) in late 2020 just before things went nuts with pricing. I think they are back down a bit for project taillights but the point still stands overall. 

Hey!!! '76 owner here tho bought my beloved "Scheiße kacken" for $1,750 in 2021. I truly believe that if you are patient you can find an affordable project. It is not like the world of Porsche 911's where it has truly become unattainable at any point of its restoration, there are attainable 02's out there and people who want to wrench on them. 

Holy cannoli! What a trip!

@steve k. posting this on the Instagram story for 2002FAQ , or having @cda951 do a "take over" while they road trip is a sure way to get more traffic into the website  

Rafael 

As a 20 something year old I use Facebook for the classified aspect, its an addicting place once you have your search parameters rolling and you can find a lot of exciting projects, parts, and other miscellaneous things. There are a few groups that you can join but they rarely post anything useful and tend to be swarming with scammers. Facebook is dying and I am not sure if that is the best place to reference if we want growth. 

The 2002FAQ Instagram page still has 27,300 followers and the content can be taken straight from the crowd here. Videos, shorts, how-tos, modifications, road trips, stories. That is where the growth is and how you reach new people to use this website for what it is, a place to ask your questions (dumb or not, I have plenty of dumb ones), and get answers to get your project moving and get closer to the community. This is a wonderful place full of wonderful people and I come here every day to read, learn and absorb information about these cars. It has been my favorite forum of any kind because of this.

Rafael

3 minutes ago, wingswheelshulls said:

Yes, it does expand, but I cannot speak to how much.   I noticed it just the other day, the m/c level is a few mm lower w/ no recent use or leaks.

 

Funny anecdote: I once replaced the m/c and booster on my French spec diesel Defender and the pushrod was a smidgen (that is less than 1mm) too long so the brakes were not applied, but the tip valve between the reservoir and m/c was closed 'trapping' fluid in the circuit.  Unknowing, I went for a drive and the brake fluid heated at the wheel, expanded applying the rear brakes which got hotter which further expanded the fluid in the wheel cylinder which further applied the brakes which....   Rear drums were toasty.   

That is too funny, I had the same thing happen in my 02! MC was applying brake pressure at the front at a constant, had to grind the MC "nub" to make the throw shorter which solved the problem, not until boiling brake fluid and roasting my pads. 

I know the quantity of brake fluid "missing" is not much to sneeze at but it is interesting to see how different fluids react to temperature anomalies.

Rafael

We experienced a drastic temperature change in Chicago, going from 36 degrees to a bone-chilling -10 degrees. While I'm waiting for it to warm up before I tackle some projects, I couldn't help but notice a decrease of approximately 1/4 of a centimeter in the brake fluid reservoir level. Is this a normal occurrence during such extreme temperature swings? I happened to glance at it after working on my wheel bearings last Friday when the weather was still reasonable, and this change has caught my attention. I've checked thoroughly, and there are no signs of leaks anywhere, be it on the calipers, drums, brake lines, or in the engine bay near the master cylinder.

Cheers!

Rafael

This looks great! would you be able to scan the head as well as the valve cover to make 3d models? I believe the one on Thingyverse was taken down and this is already an STL file so it would work great! 

Rafael

Here is my, what I think is, Fjord blue 1976! She turned 48 on January 8th

Yall think its Fjord? or just an off-the-shelf light blue? (it was resprayed by an unknown previous owner) - Cheers  - Rafael

@Mike Self and @jannickz many thanks for the advise!

16 minutes ago, Son of Marty said:

Yes you can, but almost all wheel bearings come with races so why not use them?

Well if they are incredibly stubborn I may save myself a weekend full of creative blowtorching and hammering!