HELP! - New build started hundreds of Questions!

[ChrisSpectre]

I've just started my J15 build with a 2.0 Duratec from an ST150 which has raised a whole host of questions.

Having followed this Forum for some time while I've been deciding to build a R1ot or J15 I know how helpful like minded people are and now I'm very relieved that it's here!!

So, loads of questions, any help will be much appreciated:

Does anyone know if there's a Duratec workshop manual? There's not a Haynes for the ST150 and the only thing I can find is the factory build manual for the Duratec (which at least has torque settings and helps to identify components like sender units etc).

There's a single (mechanical) throttle body available from CFM in the states to replace the drive-by-wire Duratec one, but does anyone know if a standard Duratec one from an older Duratec will bolt on? I think it just needs a throttle position sensor.

The Duratec has several fittings (fuel rail supply, clutch master to slave) which have hard black plastic pipes. Does this plastic become soft if you get it hot enough, so you can add another fitting at the other end, or do you have to cut if off and make another fitting?

Do people generally build a 'chassis stand'? I did see a pair of stanley saw benchs which are strong enough but they dont look wide enough to be stable.

Any good suppliers for rivets/rivnuts and tools or are Car Builder Soloutions OK for all of this?
Any good suppliers for nut and bolt packs?
Any good rivetter/rivnuit tools. jeremy mentioned GESIPA, can anyone recommend a model and or supplier?

Thats probably enough to be going on with!

Really excited about getting going with this build. Its been a lifetimes dream to do this. Built a Blitz Buggy (Rear engined Mini A Series off road buggy - good practice for a J15!) a couple of years ago to teach the kids to drive in and enjoyed every
minute of it.

Chris

[robojxb]

Well done Chris.
Great choice IMHO.
Mine is on two saw benches,and that seems to be a good solution for keeping the chassis at an ideal height while you are panelling etc.
I am looking at a 1.6 zetec se,so cant help on any engine q's.
But CBS are good,e-bay are cheaper,but you never know what the quality will be like.I bought a cheap £2.99 rivet gun,which lasted 24 hrs,then bought a £12.99 gun,which,although it is of identical construction,is not made of chocolate,and is working well after several weeks. My lazy tongue riveter from CBS,is still going strong,after needing a strip down after jamming.
You are more than welcome to come and see mine,as you are in hampshire,if I remember,and I am only in Littlehampton?
Again,well done,I hope you enjoy it as much as I am.
Cheers James.

(EDIT: What colour have you decided on??)

[ChrisSpectre]

Thanks James, thats much appreciated.

It's the same colour as Jeremy's red with grey chassis. I'm going for the ertro look. I'm going for black seats and black dash etc for that 60's Le-mans look.

What car do you have?

Chris

[adithorp]

For nuts bolts, rivets, etc try looking up fastener suppliers/wholesalers. Most owns have one. For tools I'd avoid cheap ones ; they won't last and will most likely break on a Sunday morning and spoil a whole days work looking for a replacement. Lazy tongue riveter will save a lot of sore hands.
Saw benches should be OK; just screw an extention to the top if they're too narrow.

adrian

[ChrisSpectre]

Thanks Adrian.

Ive seen a pair of Stanley plastic saw benches which will support 450kg so they should be strong enough.

Just need to find somewhere safe to store the body panels to create some space!

[robojxb]

What car do you have?

I am just about to tackle the brakes on my J15.
Paneling is mostly done(ish!)
And the suspension is on (ish!)
Although most of the work so far has been the build area and workshop.
Here is a link to my blog:
http://jamesj15.blogspot.com/
I am going for black,I think.Although I havn't ordered the body yet,as space/money are tight!!
So I may change my mind on the colour
Cheers James.

[ChrisSpectre]

Thanks for the link James, I dont know how I havent come across your blog before, I thought I'd found everything on the interweb for 'Sylva J15'.

I shall have a good read in detail!

Richards blog was very inspirational too, I'll think I'll have to do the same myself.

I wish I'd got the body panels separatley because I;m really strugling with space at present.

Regards,
Chris

[easisatman]

HI Chris
good luck with the new build there is a guy called flak monkey on another forum that has written quite a lot of useful info on the duratec engine here is a link to the thread
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/9 ... tid=109801

regards
Paul

[timhoverd]

Ive seen a pair of Stanley plastic saw benches which will support 450kg so they should be strong enough.

I got some chassis stands with the very first car I built. However, these days I just use some big axle stands that I got from Machine Mart. Each of them is rated for 6000kg so they're pretty sturdy. Being height adjustable is quite useful.

On the subject of rivetters the lazy tongue ones work fine. However, I'd strongly recommend thinking about buying a little compressor and an air rivetter. It makes rivetting the panels on fantastically easy and you get a much better set on the rivets, IME. The other big advantage is that when you need to you can set stainless steel rivets with an air rivetter, something that isn't possible by hand.

There's also a million other uses for a compressor. For example a set of air shears is hugely useful when working with panels. My local Aldi even has frequent sales of cheapie air tools. They're generally perfectly serviceable quality and a silly price. My cut-off tool cost 6-99 and an air drill (smaller than a normal drill and therefore better for getting in to corners) was 12-99 from Aldi! Mind you, a weeny compressor will run out of puff fairly quickly with tools like drills and shears.

I must admit that I buy all my rivets from RS Components as I want the best quality ones I can find. I like using the closed-end ones for chassis panelling as it stops water ingress to some extent when the car's complete.

Tim

[Fury1630]

Yeah - what they said.

Except I used a manual rivetter throughout with no probs, but I am an ex-aircraft fitter.

For riv-nuts I use this bunch:- http://www.zygology.com/productcart/pc/ ... ategory=26
& ALWAYS use the plated steel ribbed ones, & ALWAYS wet assemble with CBS' faux Sikaflex - not had one come loose yet.

If you use the stainless ones then don't use stainless bolts. Stainless into stainless wil bind up (or "gall" to use the technical term) & while you want them to stay put, you don't necessarily want to have to drill them out!