Date: Wed, 29 Apr 1998
From: Jeff Warner <Jeff_Warner@ssa-sa.sel.sony.com>
To: saloons@jag-lovers.org
Subject: Re: [Saloon-lovers] mk 2 restoration -Reply
Dale,

Everything below are lessons learned due to my own ERRORS on other restoration projects. If it saves you frustration and time it is worth the time to type.

If others see potential errors to my methods... or better techniques....tell us so we can all learn too. The sharing is the benefit/goal of these lovers list.

If you want a full dismantle restoration, or as Ron Summer called it "the full Monty" these are tips I have for you.

I would suggest you figure out a plan of attack.

Example: - Taking off the chrome grill and lights before working on the engine protects them from damage of dropped tools or parts, -Getting the bumper off gets it out of the way when working on engine bay. -Taking the windshield out makes working on the dash and interior easier because of improved access etc.

I would suggest buying many boxes of ZIP LOCK FREEZER bags of different sizes.

Start in one area and strip it completely before going on to next area. ( e.g.: Engine Bay, Trunk, Grill,) Don't just jump around. Your notes will not be organized and it just makes it harder to follow later.

Box all parts from that area together or by subject ( Brakes, Lights, dash, right front fender, left front fender, Body, doors, engine bay)

Take lots of pictures, so many you cannot possibly believe you'll ever need them, ....... then go get another 5 rolls of film and use them up as you dismantle. Believe me..... you'll be sorry if you don't. Mk2 books help, I probably have 7 or 8 just on Mk2s... but you would be amazed at the number of times I needed to know something and all those pictures I took and have in books.... don't tell me the answer. That leads to the next point.

One way to get around this is to have available to you many finished Mk2s. You'll get to know these other cars very well when it's time to put yours back together.

Dismantling:

When you take a part off: 1) Draw a quick sketch in a Notebook of: - the orientation of the part to adjacent items - the routing of the wires attaching to the part - the color and number code of wire at each clip ( see later WIRING) - the order of the panels or other parts under the attaching panel. - record the specific length of all the bolts by mounting bracket hole if they are different.

I know you have a picture... draw it anyway. I have looked at perfectly great pictures that don't answer my questions because the detail is lost in the original grime or shadows.

2) Put the bolts back into the holes of the part removed in the same direction as original AND attach the nuts to the bolts or put the bolts back into the original part that supported the part removed. BOTTOMLINE keep the bolts/screws/nuts together with the parts.

3) Record on paper if the part is from the passenger side or drivers, is the front or rear etc. ANYTHING THAT identifies it as being different than others that look identical. Believe me..... the parts may the same but they are not. (e.g. exterior door handles on Mk2s front to back)

4) If there is a wire extension that can be separated with the part.... keep it with the part.

5) Put EVERYTHING related to that part ( bolts, screws, drawings, labels, wires) into a single PART SPECIFIC zip lock bag.

DO NOT USE MASKING TAPE LABELS ON THE OUT SIDE OF THE BAG. (Hear Hear (Alastaior Lauener))

When the project extends out over the years, ( I know you may think it can be done over the summer.... ) the glue on the tape disintegrates and you will end up like I did with boxes of bags with separate little piles of tape labels. :-(

DO NOT DO AS I DID by putting all the exterior door handles and locks into a single bag only to discover years later that I would have to spend a morning sorting out which went where. The more specific you are during the dismantling sessions the easier the reassembly will go. :-(

WIRING

Try to spend alot time in front of the wiring diagram schematic when taking the car apart to save you wasted time on reassembly.

1) Get a schematic and make copies of it. 2) Every wire that is disconnected should be labeled with tape for part (Temp sensor...Oil pressure sensor...) well a your own NUMBER CODE on the label AND on the schematic. 3) Label both ends when there are bundles of wires. Really spend a lot of time recording the wires path and mounting positions. Believe me this will save time later. What seems to be an obvious white with brown color code insulation at one end is just plain dirty oily black on the other end. If you don't do this labeling very carefully during the dismantling, you will be pushing back the cloth wrap trying to see a "clean" section to figure out which wire you have. ...(BTW still looked dirty black as oil had soaked through the cloth wrap)

DO NOT DO AS I DID and rebuild the engine early in the restoration only to have it sit for a few years waiting for the body work and other components to be completed. It is a source of fear for me that the cylinder walls are rusting away and will destroy my rings on first start. Get the body work, brakes, etc., completed then rebuild the motor. (Any suggestions out there to calm my fears?????? oil in the plugs?)

Clean and rebuild by area. Complete the brakes, then do the exterior lights, then the engine bay parts, etc. This will help keep you focused on the relationship of the parts and avoid errors of mixing thing up while painting, plating, cleaning.

After cleaning, painting and rebuilding a part, rebag it in a clean bag if you can not immediately reinstall. Again... all the notes,labels, wires, bolts stay together in clean bag.

FIND A BUDDY to help you move parts around and talk you through difficulties. This list has been very helpful for technical info and moral boosting.

DO NOT DO AS I DID and promise your wife anything about completion dates so she can park her car back in the garage. You'll live to regret it :-) (This may be... no... IS... the most valuable tip I have to offer)

Good luck and keep everyone updated on your progress.

1961 Mk2s ( 10 yr restoration car and new wanna-be vintage racer)

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