A Bit More Done

[Greybags]

Until we have the resto blog forum, I will post the latest bit to be done on here..

Have started stripping the doors, not that there was a lot left on them to strip, and first item to deal with was the window motors. They were seized solid and would not move at all.
So have stripped them, chipped out all the solid grease from the gearbox, cleaned and reassembled and now wizz up and down like a good un.

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As I had no interior left at all, and at some point in the past have aquired some old hardwood (mahogany???). I thought that with the beautiful wood on the dash, I would machine out some door trims for the top of the doors.

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Hopefully should look a treat when polished and fitted.

Will be able to put the doors back together when I can source the litte bits of bent rod the connect from the key lock to the catch, which will let me lock the car with a key .. All my bits have been removed as the original key locks had seized.. New locks on the shelf ready to go in.

Hopefully someone somewhere will have a spare set for a Stag handled door, or at least I can get a look at some so I can fabricate some replacements. Brian is on the case for me in the old stores at Somerset, so should be able to rebuild and hang the doors soon, so will be another stage forward..

Grahame

[GGenie69]

The door cappings are looking good, Grahame.

Have you considered central locking for the doors? A 2 door set is not very expensive from Halfords and if you couple it with a cheap alarm, voila, keyless entry .

Keep us updated.

Richard

[Greybags]

Richard ..

Hadn't given that idea a thought..

Have had a quick look at some of the kits on the web, and they could be fitted very easily with just a very simply made rod from the key lock to the actuator.

Will keep it in mind even if I can get the right rods...

Nice one mate ... Many thanks and have another virtual pint on me...


Grahame

[Waylison]

Hi Grahame

All looking good with your work.

My MkII has all round central locking linked into an alarm just as Richard suggests. Lots of people comment on it when you get out and as you walk away with your hands in your pockets and secretly push the button and hear a reasuring 'thunk' from all the doors and boot lid and the alarm beeps and indicators flash several times! Not expected from a 38 year old car

Wayne.

[Reddi-Eng]

Central Locking and an Alarm sound a good proposition. The locking action on my MkIII is very imprecise with a lot of travel in the mechanism

It would be interesting to hear from those who have done it exactly what equipment the've used on the basis of "If it works - Copy it"

[Greybags]

Derek

I have found the following http://www.in-car-stuff.com/shop/universal-door-central-locking-p-47.html which is a very straight forward kit for £15.

Just connects to the lock actuating rod inside the door, and 2 wire attaches it to their own alarm system £20 http://www.in-car-stuff.com/shop/falcon-predator-easy-alarm-p-238.html

So for a grand outlay of about £35 and reading all the instructions, probably less than a days work, a full alarm system and keyless locking.

I shall certainly be looking more seriously into this..

Grahame

P.S. ... Have also got myself a set of Mazda MX5 door pulls and arm rest to hopefully complete the door panels, which I shall be working on tomorrow. Making up custom mountings and enclosures for the 6" 3 way speakers that are going into the doors to match the 6"x9" 3 ways already mounted in custom enclosures in the rear load area. Lovely rich sound even with just the rears running.

[Reddi-Eng]

Thanks Grahame, a quick look on Halfords site showed their Sparkrite system was about £70 for the alarm and £30 for the central locking so your links sound much better.

[Greybags]

The Halfords system seems to be for the Alarm and the Alarm Central Locking Interface, so you would have to add a central locking kit as well...

Grahame

[Reddi-Eng]

Well I've taken the plunge and ordered to units from In-Car-Stuff. So that's another item added to the "to-do" list. Roll on the warmer weather.

[GGenie69]

Excellent stuff Derek,

Hope we get to see the installation when you get round to it, with pictures of course

Richard.

[Gilbern74]

Good work Grahame, the window motors is a job on my list too. i was thinking of replacing them with something more modern, but since you have made the task of renovating the existing ones sound relatively easy, I'll stick with what I've got and copy you!


Also I plan the same with a central locking and alarm system. It's amazing how cheap these things are nowadays!
I was always a bit concerned with the security of the locks on the Gilbern as they use the old rod locking system which can easily be opened using a hooked coat hanger down the window seal (don't ask how I know these things!), same as every old car really.
Is there a way to add additional locking/security that anyone has tried? I know that if a thief is determined he/she will get in no matter what, but if there's another simple cost-effective deterrant that could be applied that someone has tried then do tell. I know...simple - don't leave anything on show inside the car for some magpie to get an eyeful of.
I guess I'm more concerned with someone driving off with the car than taking the belongings, so my best bet's a decent immobiliser.

Finally on the subject of central locking, how do you get it to work with the boot lid lock? Which is essentially just a turn handle. I guess I need an additional actuator fitted in the boot for this. Does that come as part of a kit, or a seperate device entirely??

EDIT: Ah, I've just seen you can buy additional actuators from that In-car site at £4.39 each..! bargain. Guess it's just a case of positioning the actuator and getting the rod connected to the handle/turner thing inside the boot....? Just one thing though, if the boot handle is locked, and the actuator enabled, won't it push/bend the rod when trying to open/turn the handle )which is locked, so won't turn)??
Or...do we leave the handle on there as 'for show only' and change the lock entirely so the central locking works? Now I'm confused again.

Jason

[Reddi-Eng]

You can certainly get addition units for cable operated locks which would be OK for the bonnet, however I don't think you would want the Bonnet and Boot to pop open every time you unlocked the doors These need to be on a separate control or leave as manual pulls from inside the unlocked car.

It's quite simple to add sensors to the alarm which will trigger it if set and the Boot/Bonnet is opened.

I did read a report of someone who had removed the exetrior handle to the boot, may have been elsewhere on this forum or on the archive disc.

[Tony Hayward]

Graham / Derek
Might have been me-I removed the handle etc years ago, and intially used a cable release; then changed to electrical with a 12v solenoid. You need to source an alternative lock, similar to those fitted to most modern cars, then the solenoid has someting to pull or push. The lock obviously resets when closed. I have a spare switch on the dasboard wired through the ignition, but this could easily be activated by a second circuit on a remote.

Tony Hayward

[Greybags]

the window motors is a job on my list too. i was thinking of replacing them with something more modern, but since you have made the task of renovating the existing ones sound relatively easy

Wasn't at all difficult just a nut and bolt job .... but ... and it is a very big but ...

Secure the window operating arm securely in a vice or somesuch, becuase as you release the motor the arm unwinds against the spring, very very quickly anmd if not secured and ones fingers are in the way holding the bar which is acting like a pair of very large power assisted sissors...

Family learnt a few new swear words, and it only took a few plasters to mend me, but learnt my lesson and held the 2nd one in the vice then it was really really easy...

I soaked the solid dried lumps of old grease with WD40, as it softens all the old crap, and not so harsh as a degreaser which can be difficult to get off. Run the motor in both directions with everything off, and all the old grease will work it's way out of the worm drive.

I Greased the semi sealed gearbox, but did all the exposed moving parts with White Grease as it repels water and doesn't harden .. I get tins of Unipart spray on white grease off ebay for a couple of quid...

Grahame