My 1974, British, 1500 Super with SR20DE

[Nikolai]

Will upload images tonight and over the next few days.

Had rust repair and warrant done yesterday.

Investigating twin-carb setup at the moment.

Dropping it off this morning to Mr Muffler - 2" exhaust from extractors. Excited to hear the result!

[Nikolai]

Hey, so I bought a 1974 British Hillman Avenger from a GP Forums user, got it for a steal at $2000 with a new (used) clutch just installed along with a gearbox clean and general underbody clean, as well as some rust repair already complete.

Plans for the car:

• Exhaust System
• Alarm, Tints, Central Locking
• New Radiator
• Twin Carb Setup with RamFlos
• Speakers in rear and in door parcel trays
• All leaks fixed
• Digital Tacho/GPS speedo, very minimal look
• Upgrade dash with cup holders, ciggratte lighters, new headunit, modern (retractable) seatbelts
• Reupholster/Get restored/repaired all the seats, and have them dyed black
• New carpet + dynamat + lots of sound deadening
• Comfortable spring and shock setup
• Wheel Alignment
• New Steering Wheel
• Get dash re-shrink wrapped
• Ceiling painted/sprayed/dyed black as well as door cards
• Clean up engine bay - replace pump bottles with original canisters, remove stupid airhorns (that don't even work), clean everything, potential engine rebuild at a later date. replace all piping, clean/polish the covers and around block

So this is it when I got it, took it straight for a wash as it was filthy.



As you can see, it's pretty straight which is great. Still original paint and original pinstripe.



The old bags, the big bus driver steering wheel... (Mags for sale by the way - $250 ono)


And sitting at home with it's buddy - The_Jim's KE35. (Watch out for a build thread coming soon)


Went to rip everything out - especially all the old rotten carpet, and find the cause of the leak (getting ready for dynamat, sound deading behind the dash, new carpet etc)


Back seats out, note the mess of seatbelts that is now hidden underneath the back seat


Back tray, ready for replacement, as well as new Sony 6x9's.


Bloody heater! Seems like the heater tap (just behind this) was causing a huge amount of water to leak into the cabin. Bypassed for now.


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Then I had central locking installed, an alarm and some medium tints (photos to come)

In the meantime, I acquired this badboy... Twin stromberg carbs, which I now need two RamFlo's for, and work out how to get it installed - new gaskets, and sort out the new throttle cable set up.



Need to upload photos of the rust repair that was done, the tints, and the new exhaust that is being done today. Also, new gearknob and oil breather.

More to come! Watch this space.

[Nikolai]

Engine Bay (minus oil breather) note heater bypass:


Bonus car porn from the Mini-Meet:

[Nikolai]

Went leak finding again.

Don't have the photo, but from factory there is a big piece of foam glued to this piece of metal. God knows why someone decided that was a good idea. So I took it off, and great news! Rust!





For those who don't know, straight through these rust holes is where the cold air intake is for the heater, if there's no heater, it goes straight through to the floor

So I figured wet foam holding water will a) result in obvious rust, as it has and b) it will leak into the cabin.

Fixing time:


Finally:



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Found the last leak!!!!! Need to fix this next weekend.

It's leaking from behind the brake booster (?) - if I put my fingers behind it, I can feel the disintegrated seal/foam/whatever was there. Can't see it though - not enough viewing angle.




Also, I found the new door seals - ParaRubber at $11/m with edge trim + rubber seal, perfect. Same for boot seals, $18 per metre.

So these should be going in next weekend as well. A satisfying and quick job to look forward to.

Finally the car should be dry and not leaking after next weekend!!!

Then it'll be onto the twin-carb setup.

[blekkja]

Also, I found the new door seals - ParaRubber at $11/m with edge trim + rubber seal, perfect. Same for boot seals, $18 per metre.

what? that's convenient. let us know how it works.

top stuff on the rust repairs too.

[Nikolai]

I'll post up a photo later this morning.

It's basically EXACTLY the same as the current old seal that is on my door. (All other doors no seals).

[Nikolai]

New exhaust, courtesy of Mr Muffler, Onehunga. $420.

[Nikolai]

Hey, here are the rubber seals from Para Rubber:

[Nikolai]

Guess I should announce it on here.

Booked in for the SR20DE conversion on 6th of Feb. Will take around 10 - 14 working days to complete.

Looking forward to it.

[Nikolai]

Oh hello.

Gearbox is in and the gearbox crossmember just bolted straight up. They can just bend the gearstick and it will clear the handbrake.

The engine is still in chains because they are making some engine mounts but again that sounds like it will just bolt up pretty easy.

They are a bit worried about bonnet clearance so I might need a power bulge or the fibreglass bonnet might fit better. The SR20DE is quite a tall engine and we don?t want the sump hitting, so may also make a sump guard.

We will know more when they do the engine mounts, it sounds touch and go.




Look ma! No trans-tunnel chopping involved!

[Nikolai]

Engine mounts done. Air intake done.

This conversion is so ridiculous - exhausts line up and just a small flange has to be made to link them together. Only 14 hours of work to get it to this stage, including taking all the old stuff out.

The more difficult stuff starts soon - dual circuit brakes, diff, pedal box setup and then shocks/lowering/guard chop for flares.

Anyone recommend a panel beater/body shop to do all four flares?

---

So these turned up today.

Unfortunately not matte black as ordered! Have asked for a credit for the price of powder-coating or to get them re-powdercoated at their expense. Will let you know how it goes.

Otherwise, pics.

225/50/15: Rear : 15/8
205/50:15: Front : 15/7

[kierbear]

where did the pics of the new engine go?

[Nikolai]

Fixed. I blame Richard moving the server!

Picture-less update:
Pedal box has been made, used stock pedals, just needs to be welded back in now.
Tunnel was welded up and made to look all nice and pretty.
Air-intake done.
Loom is all in, ready for the final wire up which is happening this week.
Got a new boss kit and steering wheel as mine were borked.

Progress should be rather quick this week, as there aren't many other cars in the garage to be worked on.

[Nikolai]

Brakes all plumbed in, calipers rebuilt, cylinders reconditioned etc.

Now just waiting for the diff to come back (was meant to have come back on Tuesday )

Going to add rear disk brakes as well, nothing too serious though.

Then driveshaft/electrician and boom!

[Nikolai]

Oh hello... 3.7 Hilux diff.