jerry

i like colorado. it's there, somewhere. malaga has really grown on me over the years. i used to consider it so common on 02's. fjord is nice, too, but better, i feel on squaretails malaga is best on roundies turf is a nice early version of agave

were you able to merely stretch the existing lines into place? doesn't look like much distance between the MC and your battery. to me, when the stock brakes are properly adjusted, they really are good. early on i scavenged the typical Volvo upgrade parts intending to do that some day. i doubt i'll ever do it. i also have the 320i rear drums but they are heavy and 'why bother'???

I was wondering how you were able to remove the internal bits from the injector as shown above? i happen to have an injector at my desk that i've unscrewed, but the internal bits appear to be stuck or held in place with some spring mechanism. additionally, this particular injector is missing the washer/spacer shown. are these available? furthermore, can anyone identify the leftmost thread size shown. I've been wanting to make an adapter to fit onto a standard thread (SAE?), so i can utilize our flow bench at work.

i sent a Bosch vac advanced distributer to Advanced Distributors and received it back, rebuilt but with a note that the vacuum gizmo was inoperable. there was no mention or suggestion from them that it was fixable. i subsequently found a good vacuum gizmo in my stash and swapped it out onto my newly rebuilt distributor. Unfortunately, i am currently running with the vac advance plugged as i was told by a knowledgeable 02 mechanic (JP, A1-Autowerks) that i had too much advance on my rebuilt distributor with the vac unit. so what i have, i suppose is a vac advance distributor working solely as a mech advance distributor. i'm a little bummed after shelling out $250 for the rebuild. i will add, though, that the timing ball is indeed steady under timing light now.

very nice work josh. i want, i want, i want.... i'm sure the value of those bikes has just gone up. every guy was vicariously riding on those roads with you....

looking at your photo, it's time for a new rocker. it's rusted beyond a simple patch here and there. you might also want to take a wire wheel to your wheel arches. i have a sneaking suspicion that that is bondo poking out from that small paint scratch i'm seeing. with rockers as rusted as yours are, it would be no surprise to see rust along the entire lip of your rear archways. as for the rocker overlay panel, it's not worth your time. the gauge is thinner and it looks obvious to anyone familiar with these cars because it eliminates the seam between the rear quarter and the rocker. i have repaired the bottom portion of the rear quarterpanel section by patching with a piece of the rocker panel i removed. unfortunately, yours looks like there's no useable material to save. i posted up my method of repair a couple weeks ago on this forum. it shouldn't be too difficult to find if you're so inclined.

i ended up buying new front brake lines and a tube flaring tool to remake the front brake lines because the lengths are different between the two types. i think you 'can' s-t-r-e-t-c-h the lines as needed to make it work, or perhaps add a short section as needed, but i wanted a clean look , and had some cash 'burning a hole in my pocket'... do a search. there was once a post listing the applicable brake lines by P/N, as well as a company selling the proper brake flair tool. Note, the plastic coating on new lines makes flaring a bit of a challenge. my flare did not look good, but it seems to be holding up. edit: i forgot to mention that i did this conversion before i installed the engine which definitely made the conversion much simpler. and my battery was relocated to the trunk, anyways. hadn't considered those two important details when responding originally.

The chrome trim came on the 'up-market' versions, like the Custom Cab variants. This truck was the rock-bottom lowest-cost version available at the time. barest of minimum chrome (emblems, a little on the dash). no extraneous trim. painted grill and bumpers and no hubcaps or AM radio and the low-end 6 cyclinder engine (240 vs. 300). The simplicity is what really grabbed me on this truck. it sold on ebay for $450 (one bidder) and i hunted the buyer down to buy it off him several weeks later for $1000. i was happy to get it at that price and considered his time and effort to trailer it from Stockton to Santa Rosa and get it running worth the added cost. As for demolition derby's, i'm guessing it's the fact that the sheetmetal in this truck is thicker and tougher than the BMW sheetmetal of that era. I can't comment on modern Ford's, though. banging out dents takes a real hammer and not my toy body hammers i use on the 02. Stockton may not rain much, but the tulle fog did a number on the undercarriage. there's surface rust underneath to be dealt with someday. i'd love to remove the bed and do a little work underneath.

i bought one of those 'slip-over' rocker panels on ebay once and was immediately disappointed at how flimsy they are, as noted above. i still have it laying around somewhere. i won't even use it for patch panels. better to leave the rust alone rather than hiding it with a bandage. spend the time necessary to do it right, or don't waste your time and money doing it half-baked. the cover is NOT an improvement.

i've been taking a couple weeks away from working on my 02tii rust restoration to get an older 1966 Ford F250 truck back in running shape. I plan on having it be my winter driver during the rainy season. anyhow, i decided to tackle the front windshield gasket because it was old, cracked and hard as a rock on the outside. i was fully expecting the worst, as an 02 owner, under the windshield gasket is a typical rust nest. to my great surprise, no rust!!! i am dumbfounded over this. why couldn't the 02's be like this? this truck is nearly 50 years old and the gasket looks every bit as old. i spent a couple hours prepping the area for primer and rust protection. this truck will never see bondo or a spray gun. all paint for this truck, other than my rust protection stuff, is Rustoleum industrial yellow in a spray bomb. my plan is to keep it mechanically tip-top, but looking like an old farm truck. i figure the next person after me can make it pretty. hopefully, by that time, it'll be considered an antique...

how firm is your wife's stance on this??? try to delay while you ponder your options. these things take time and you don't want to make the wrong decision. she'll understand.

it looks to me that you could cut to the chase by sending a photo taken in the exact orientation as the one they used in their listing and if it does not match up, then you have a case. you can file a case through ebay and they will arbitrate based upon your description and the email traffic you've sent with the seller. what you are describing is that the physical appearance is not the same as originally depicted. they do crack, but it shouldn't be a pile of broken plastic when you get it. it looks to me that you could cut to the chase by sending a photo taken in the exact orientation as the one they used in their listing and if it does not match up, then you have a case. you can file a case through ebay and they will arbitrate based upon your description and the email traffic you've exchanged with the seller. what you are describing is that the physical appearance is not the same as originally depicted. they do crack, but it shouldn't be a pile of broken plastic when you get it.

honestly, that rear panel looks infinitely fixable as-is. it's amazing what a little practice with hammer and dolly will acheive. there is a wealth of info on the net on proper techniques and tools. by selling the unused tailpanel, you can buy all the old-skool body hammers, dollies and a slapping spoon you'll need. it's magic when done right. chances are, that you'll be using a little bondo even on the new panel. i'm not trying to discourage the generation of new sheetmetal, but offer an alternative to wholesale replacement for doable fixes.

you'll be stripping out the interior for starters to repair the floor. with a sunroof, expect to replace rockers or portions, thereof, depending on your expectations for integrity. look closely at the condition of the driver's side framerail too. planning on doing a lot of prep work yourself? or shop it out? either way, you've probably got at least 8 months to several years of effort to get it into nice shape. it can be done in segments, too and perhaps that might be more your style. you have to let us know what you are willing to put up with and how much time, and/or disposable income you have... also, are you getting emotionally attached to it? that can be a killer. ask me how i know...

it is my opinion that folks aren't taking the time to learn how to 'bump' sheetmetal. there's a wonderful book sold by eastwood and plenty of youtube videos on straightening sheetmetal. this is especially true for the DIY'r. i can understand a professional shop that has to 'watch the clock' and get 'er done, but if you are contemplating the work yourself, consider patching what's necessary and straightening the rest. i've heard about the new replacement panels and i'd only replace if absolutely necessary. having said that, i will be looking to replace the trunk floor in a 73tii, that was really mangled at some point in its life... there ARE limits.

you will be looked favorably upon for those sentiments....

there should be a way to make pubic inqueries into an item for sale. without that, it is easier for a scammer to sell to multiple persons, as has happened to me. he claimed that i was the first responder out of 5 and i stupidly fell for it. i should have known better.

i owe it to J.C. to inform others that i received notice that a package is waiting for me at the Post Office. i haven't had time to pick it up, but i feel it necessary to post an update on J.C.'s behalf. i hope that the other issue posted below can be resolved in a timely manner.

Really noting to it, actually. Initially, i had a rather big piece (6in x 1 1/2in x 1/4in) of copper bar sectioned from an industrial strength grounding bar i acquired from a scrap yard. that piece got kinda heavy after awhile of holding it, so i downsized to a smashed section of 3/4in diameter common copper plumbing pipe i found. i have a piece about 8in long. if it gets too hot to hold, then you're welding too much between cooldown. what the copper really does, more than being a heat sink, is act as a backing plate for the molten metal from the Mig wire spool, effectively helping the molten metal to pool. i DO NOT hold the trigger down more than a second or two when butt-welding the sheetmetal skin. HOWEVER, when joining the Rocker Panel flanges to the flange of the Inner Panel, i did not use a copper backing plate because the metal is thicker and i wanted to ensure that my weld pool melted into the adjacent flange. it's really a feel that is best gained through trial and error, and mistakes!

first off, let's make sure we have our orientations defined clearly. Upward means the surface facing the sky Downward means the surface facing the road. the trailing edge of the headliner is glued, facing forward to the Upward surface of the fiberboard (not fiberglass) support panel. when the glue is dry, the assembly is pinned in place using those dang PIA clips to the roof section with the headliner dangling downward. the headliner is then wrapped/folded along the trailing edge of the support panel and the installation begins... locating the headliner properly on the support panel is important! if you are lucky, you saved the original as a pattern, for reference. good luck

thanks for the comments. as with all things, practice makes perfect. this car has been an education in welding sheetmetal and cutting patches. i find it more satisfying than wrenching because of the visable aspects of the completed work. my floor repair work was early on and the welding was much worse. i'm planning to touch it up a bit before paint. someday i hope to complete my garage so i can finish this car in a lighted, organized and dry work space.

thought i'd post some photos to show what's involved with a rocker panel replacement. if you see a little pinhole in the rear lower quarter panel, and you are contemplating a new paintjob, don't spend the money until you replace your rocker. i was going to leave this DS rocker alone, but as my car is slowly coming back from near certain crushing, i decided not to take the chance. i'm glad i bit the bullet. i have on hand several used 02 body panels from a couple cars i cut up a couple years ago. i use c-clamps and a metal bar to secure the car to minimize any movement during the process. the first task is to liberate the old rocker. this is done by using a die grinder to cut into the weld seams, followed by drilling out the spot welds. i typically cut the quarter panel along the lower trim location as shown. i plan to reuse this section, so i try to be gentle. it's a given, that the bottom of this section is rusty, but that too will be repaired. this photo shows what was hidden. the lower section was removed from the section of quarter-panel that i am reusing. i have found that the old rocker panel typically has enough material to cut a patch from to repair this section. i merely have to retreive the car-jack steel piece and attach it, on location. the replacement rocker and interior area all primed with chromate primer that i have found to be the best corrosion inhibitor i've ever used. it is not available on the open market, however. rocker panel in place after several checks and rechecks for fitment. quarterpanel reinstalled and ready for weldup two views of the quarterpanel section installed and ready for weld grind. i will not grind completely flat, but will use a hammer and dolley to stretch the metal slightly and reduce/eliminate any minor distortion. the weld metal tends to shrink the metal locally causing a slight waviness. never, ever weld more than a spot at a time to minimize distortion. i use a copper backing plate (flattened Cu pipe) as a heat sink. this work was done over 2 weekends while doing other tasks as well. i'm guessing the process from start to finish took me about 6 hours, if i were willing and able to work non-stop. hope this removes the mystery for someone contemplating this repair.

That's a really sharp looking 02. best of all, it wears its original bumpers proudly. they do not look out of place one bit.. that's one self-confident car.

i gotta ask..... how's the racoon doing????

these can be rekeyed as necessary. you'll need an old-school locksmith to do it. i've used Longs Locks in berkely calif. if your doors match the ignition, this is the way to go. if doors do not match ignition, you might find a keyed pair for about the same price.