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  • #31
    Originally posted by S49 View Post
    Always said that of the BL cars of the 70's and 80's.
    Too true, an uncle of mine was in body repair trade all his working life and I remember talking to him about BL cars. He told me in the 70's it was normal everyday stuff welding 2-3 yr old cars. No wonder they all went under.

    On another note I've just read the first 20 pages of your blue van rebuild, it's looking very familiar! Really good job you're making of it too. I'll be keeping an eye on your progress, might get some tips[emoji1]

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    • #32
      Originally posted by Greeny gtc View Post
      They are not alone, reliant had a brilliant one with their first sports cars, thry had a "flailing arm" front suspension set up which was deemed as unsafe at any speed. However Ray Wiggin (the then md) said we are using them cos we have loads on the shelf.
      Alfa went into production with nissan. Ok so you think a car that looks great (like an alfa) with build quality (like a nissan)
      Oh hell no the management panel decided thst nissan would design it and alfa would be responsible for build quality!!
      Mk5 ford escorts were pushed out on the public nuff said..
      Austin rover built cars into the late1980s that were not only built of rust but also with tech that was designed in the 1940s (Morris minor front suspension)

      The first 2 mx5 evolutions were built with intentional rust traps in structural places!

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      I like it...Alfa build quality with Nissan style. That has no happy ending. Thought it was only where I work that has crazy ideas that make no sense.

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      • #33
        Originally posted by Jonny888 View Post
        Too true, an uncle of mine was in body repair trade all his working life and I remember talking to him about BL cars. He told me in the 70's it was normal everyday stuff welding 2-3 yr old cars. No wonder they all went under.

        On another note I've just read the first 20 pages of your blue van rebuild, it's looking very familiar! Really good job you're making of it too. I'll be keeping an eye on your progress, might get some tips[emoji1]

        Sent from my SM-G930F using Just T4s
        Cheers, looking how yours is going I may be getting some tips from you mate.

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        • #34
          Great thread and thanks for the tips and pics. No doubt this job awaits me, but I’ve got to replace my front bumper x member first and start welding back down the outer legs. Main legs look ok.
          My first proper job leaving school in 1985 was at an Alfa main dealer, partnered with a BL main dealer. I saw all sorts of cars, had to polish a turd of an unregistered Arna because it just wouldn’t shift. MD told me to pimp it a bit so I got the Carnoisseur catalogue out, ordered spoilers, stripes, pop out sunroof, Harry Moss stereo, and godawful wheel trims but it got it sold!


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          • #35
            Originally posted by Mickandsej View Post
            Great thread and thanks for the tips and pics. No doubt this job awaits me, but I’ve got to replace my front bumper x member first and start welding back down the outer legs. Main legs look ok.
            My first proper job leaving school in 1985 was at an Alfa main dealer, partnered with a BL main dealer. I saw all sorts of cars, had to polish a turd of an unregistered Arna because it just wouldn’t shift. MD told me to pimp it a bit so I got the Carnoisseur catalogue out, ordered spoilers, stripes, pop out sunroof, Harry Moss stereo, and godawful wheel trims but it got it sold!


            Sent from my iPhone using Just T4s
            Haha, I remember the carnoissouir catalogue from the 80's wish I still had one now to have a laugh at. You could really bling your Montego up for a few quid.[emoji23]

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            • #36
              Bugger me I just googled it and that very 1984 catalogue is available online - to browse!!!

              https://www.carnoisseur.com/catalogue-archive

              Spoilers for the Essex boys:



              Growlers for the rest.....




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              • #37
                That stuff was bloody expensive back then, 3+ weeks wages for a Mk3 body kit?
                I paid £200 at the time for a 6 year old Marina 1300L!


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                • #38
                  Well quick update, managed a few hours on the van after work yesterday. So after cutting out the passenger front arch and sill, and removing the wing to check the inner wing I noticed we had some bubbling on the diagonal chassis rail. So investigated further and realised quite a bit of rot around the fuel filter mount, this was even hidden under what seemed like about 5mm of factory applied clear wax. I needed to remove the front panel and battery for better access, and then was able to scrape all the wax off and see how much we needed to cut out. Ended up cutting out all the rust including a section of the chassis, but kept some of the outer flanges for now to maintain reference points until new sections are made up. Gave it all a quick coat of etch for now and looks much better already. Looks more like Si's project blind faith by the day[emoji23]

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                  • #39
                    Originally posted by Jonny888 View Post
                    More investigation work reveals everything I touch just gets worse, but I will keep cutting all rust out, and if I still have enough van left I will begin to weld him back together again[emoji23] [emoji23] [emoji23]
                    Just be glad once all the metal work is done and the conversion work can begin.

                    Sent from my SM-G930F using Just T4s
                    Getting back on topic, how did you get on with the air cutting wheel? I’ve got one and tbh I avoid using it because of the scatter, but also because it’s very air-hungry. I’ve got a 50L tank off a 14.3cfm compressor and 10mm hose and it just can’t keep up. Going to move it to the man cave soon but might be able to add a receiver to boost the set up.


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                    • #40
                      Originally posted by Mickandsej View Post
                      Bugger me I just googled it and that very 1984 catalogue is available online - to browse!!!

                      https://www.carnoisseur.com/catalogue-archive

                      Spoilers for the Essex boys:



                      Growlers for the rest.....




                      Sent from my iPhone using Just T4s
                      Crikey this brings back memories....

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                      • #41
                        Originally posted by Mickandsej View Post
                        Getting back on topic, how did you get on with the air cutting wheel? I’ve got one and tbh I avoid using it because of the scatter, but also because it’s very air-hungry. I’ve got a 50L tank off a 14.3cfm compressor and 10mm hose and it just can’t keep up. Going to move it to the man cave soon but might be able to add a receiver to boost the set up.


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                        To be honest mate, I've got almost the same set up only difference being my pressure vessel is 150L. I have not noticed any performance issues with my 75mm cut off tool. Good tool to get into more awkward spots than the grinder. My only gripe with them is poor quality cutting discs, they vary massively and paying more doesn't guarantee longer life or better cutting in my opinion.

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                        • #42
                          I think I’ll look into a receiver. There’s a cheap one on eBay not too far away, looks a bit small though.


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                          • #43
                            Originally posted by Jonny888 View Post
                            I like it...Alfa build quality with Nissan style. That has no happy ending. Thought it was only where I work that has crazy ideas that make no sense.

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                            I think it's called the arna or somthing like that.

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                            • #44
                              Originally posted by Greeny gtc View Post
                              I think it's called the arna or somthing like that.

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                              OMG[emoji33] [emoji33] [emoji33] I've just googled it, how that ever made it into production is beyond me. According to Wikipedia the Nissan/Alfa alliance were looking at how successful the VW Golf was...and this monstrous design was gonna take some of this market share. Surely after some really beautiful Alfa's before this, the people in the meeting when this was agreed to be put into production must have known it was a wrong'un. The more I look at it the more Datsun Cherry it looks.

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                              • #45
                                Originally posted by Jonny888 View Post
                                Haha, I remember the carnoissouir catalogue from the 80's wish I still had one now to have a laugh at. You could really bling your Montego up for a few quid.[emoji23]

                                Sent from my SM-G930F using Just T4s
                                I lived above carnoisseur in Leeds (Dewsbury Rd) for a year in the early 90s, literally everyone who came into the shop left with a set of three spoke TSWs (this was pre-venom era)

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