Travis Bickles VTR8 project, updated with pics.

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

The vtr8 will soon be off the road. Funding was approved by the Mrs and I now have a 306 hdi gearbox and a new clutch. Just waiting on the new welder to turn up and a few odd bits and il be diving in! Expect new pics soon.

[ToddM]

Expecting the unexpected from you!

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

Not much to update I'm afraid, I'm just in the middle of fitting a roof on the garage.
Before I started that, I stripped out the remaining interior out of the xsara and took the front end off, all the wiring looms have been removed along with the dash.
The engine will be coming out as soon as I've finished the garage.
I got sick of working outside and with reports of snow coming soon I thought I'd best have a roof lol!
Got some pics to put up when I find the time.

[steve_earwig]

I understand completely, it's a real bitch doing fiddly stuff when you can't feel your fingers

[FarmerPug]

I understand completely, it's a real bitch doing fiddly stuff when you can't feel your fingers

and then hit your finger with a hammer when its cold and you feel it a lot lot worse.

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

Well I reckon by this weekend I should have the roof done and will be able to crack on come rain or snow and with the new lights I'll be able to see after six pm lol!

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

Roof now finished
Anyway some pics of whats been going on at Bickle towers

Engine bay pic before work started, the little 1600TU engine had breathed its last




Next i started to take the front end off





After more stripage





Then it was the interiors turn, dash out to attack the wiring loom, the trusty Haynes manual helping greatly here although compared to the 406 loom(S) this one is childsplay





A bit of spanner work saw the subframe, driveshafts, struts, hubs, gear linkage and water pipes removed and finally the engine could be dropped out the bottom
then the wiring loom and fuse boxes could be removed along with the power steering resivoir and washer bottle.
The battery and waher bottle will be moved into the boot when it goes back together.





This afternoon saw a little cleaning with a bottle of cheap washing up liquid and a brush I will clean up the rusty bits and treat them with that rust eater stuff before a bit of paint to freshen it up.


Ive now started to clean up the 406 wiring looms and will be shoehorning engine compartment loom in tomorrow hopefully so will get some pics of the spagheti looms then too.

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

Well today has seen further progress, I've fitted the engine bay wiring loom from the 406. I had to completely dismantle the engine bay fuse box to get it through the bulk head, (the fuse box came out complete through the bulkhead of the 406 as the pedal box came out to allow it to fit)
I trial fitted the pug engine bay fuse box in the xsara but it didn't sit right so I fitted all the 406 gubbins into the xsara fuse box (after I gave it a thorough clean in the kitchen sink lol.

I need to make a heat shield to potect the loom as its going to be quite close to the turbo where it runs accross the bulkhead but overall I'm pleased with the way its starting to look.

[steve_earwig]

It's looking pretty good, although I don't suppose your wife was keen on you using the sink for washing car parts

Keep the updates coming!

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

It's looking pretty good, although I don't suppose your wife was keen on you using the sink for washing car parts

Keep the updates coming!

Luckily she was out lol!

[FarmerPug]

you need to get rid out of all the evidence though, women seem to just know if a car part has been cleaned in the house from a single droplet of blackened water.

That cars engine bay looks in great it cleaned up well.

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

Lol! She's none the wiser, I cleaned the sides down meticulously. Though I would have been busted if she had come in and seen fuse boxes on the draining board!

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

Okay a little update of sunday and tonights progress, Ive rigged the garage up with lighting tonight, so i can work after dark when i get home from work

Below is a pic of the engine bay fuse box, all 406 bits now fitted neatly into the xsaras fuse box the engine bay loom was sundays job.






Tonight, i cleaned up the rusty bits on the engine bay ready for repainting, then headed to the interior to see what i could do with the mass of wires in there
I had just chucked the whole loom in there for safe keeping.





As with the engine bay fuse box i realised the big 406 fusebox was never going to fit into the xsara dash
So it was a case of stripping both fuseboxes down and reassembling the 406 wires and relays into the xsara box, Luckily it seems all circa 98 fuse distribution boxs are all the same allthough the 406 one used a LOT more fuses for all the extras
Below is a pick of the 406 fuse box, being black it doesnt look that big, but its a lot bigger than the xsaras




and here is the xsara fuse box, stripped of relays and wires





And here is the completed 406 / xsara hybrid fusebox




And that was tonights mission over with Tomorrow il be doing more of the same and just sorting out the wiring for the dashboard.
stay tuned

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

Not much progress last night. I've now secured the loom where it goes through the bulkhead, its a pain as the 406 loom bung is also the mounting for the throttle pedal, but its fits nicely now and is water tight.

The next job is to treat the rusty bits in the engie bay and repaint those areas and then get the engine and box on the two main mountings do I can see how much I need to extend the bottom mount so the turbo clears the bulkhead. Most people just cut and weld the mount to make it about 15mm longer but I'm thinking about having a solid alloy mount to replace the rubber one, they do wear and give far too much movement anyway. I figure if I make a solid alloy one and just make the hole 18mm furthe back I'll get the desired effect with a lot less movement.

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

Small update.
Prepped and painted the engine bay last night. Got the old wire wheel out to the front chassis legs as they were a little scabby. Took them down to bare metal where need be and treated them with that cure rust stuff, let that dry off the coated the chassis legs and under wheel arches with plenty of underseal.

On the top side of the bay got the same cure rust treatment but then primered and top coated with the blue stuff. Now that's sorted ill get the old 406 gearbox off the engine and get the new clutch and 306 gearbox fitted and then stick the engine in place. Good times.