Red!

Dashboard up next;

There are 9x rivnuts to fix around the dashboard panel, with hindsight I should have fitted them before assembling the scuttle; however its not too bad putting them in now:

The dashboard fit is dependent on the scuttle & the steering column cowl, so next up was trimming down the stock Sierra cowl so it fits around the chassis tubes & still allows the column to adjust:

First step was a little wax polish on the dashboard to give some protection.

I'm going for factory layout on the dials with a stainless surround. The surround position dictated by the cutout on the scuttle panel, then I used the same curve to start taking out the section for the steering column at the bottom of the dash:

3-4 goes each time checking clearance; The large chunks of dash removed with the Dremel router bit, and then smoothing & working up to the required edge with a drum sander attachment. 15k rpm seems to work best, eye and breathing protection a must!

Pretty good:

The steering column cowl is just temporarily in place to locate the dash, it will come off in due course to finish the column wiring: 

Nose in the background - I need to get under the car for its final fixing bolts:

Its too cold today to do much more, the next step is to drill the dashboard mounting holes & instrument holes. I think I'll need some sort of paper template to work out where the mounting holes are.

Tidy up

A little tidy-up today:

1. Double checked where the bonnet comes on the scuttle by temporarily fitting the nose & bonnet.
2. Riveted the front edge of the scuttle top where it won't be seen under the bonnet, cut the tabs off & filed down any rough edges.
3. Scuttle removed & a line of bond put around the edges I hadn't already covered, then put back on the chassis to make sure it dries in the right shape.
4. I drilled a couple of the mounting holes in the nose where it attaches to the chassis top rails, deciding to use M6 nuts/nylocs & washers
5. Flared the brake line I broke previously and fitted - I'm not completely happy with it though so might re-work before filling with brake fluid

Really I want to leave it all alone to let the bond on the scuttle completely cure - I'm not sure what to do next:

Decide if the fusebox is going inside or outside the scuttle then back to some wiring?

Perhaps start the dashboard?

Fill the brake fluid?

Scuttle - #3 Fitting

Bonnet check

I offered up the dash support panel and roughly clamped in place to check the fit:

First up - removed the clecos and offered up the bonnet to check the fit - bearing in mind there are no catches in place etc it doesn't look too bad:

Advice

I spent some time on the phone to Simon @ GBS to get some advice. While the scuttle panels seemed to fit ok there were a couple of areas I wanted to check:

1. The corners of the firewall were being pushed rearwards by the scuttle panel stretched over it
2. How good should the bonnet fit be

The advice was broadly; it should be possible to fit the panels without adjustment & by pushing the firewall forwards it will push the scuttle into the right shape. The bonnet should also fit correctly without adjustment & it changes shape slightly when the bonnet latches are fitted - they pull it down onto the chassis rails and around the scuttle evening out any gaps.

Tab Adjustment

I decided to re-work the tabs on the firewall and dashboard support panel, making sure they were flush with the edge and not standing proud at all; The firewall was adjusted in place using some scrap wood as a guide then carefull hammering to tighten up the bend:

The dash support panel on the vice, but the same approach:

Dash support panel prep

I decided to fit the dashboard support panel next to give the scuttle a little structure. Riveting each tab is likely overkill, I think GBS spot weld these.

I ran a guide line along the edge to show how far the rubber edging will eventually cover then worked my way from the centre, drilling and holding with a cleco all the way to the edges. The tabs actually bend past 90 degrees along the top edge:

Pretty happy with the result:

Dash support panel fitting

Next step is to put the panel back on the car to get the correct shape and rivet the rear edge. I used an old 9mm drill bit to countersink the holes:

I'm not over keen on the flush rivets, they look good on the top surface but leave a mess on the back & dont pull very tight:

Final adjustment & cleanup

Off again to cleanup - the cutouts I made on the front edge needed adjusting a little to let the scuttle sit forward enough & the underside of the flush rivets cut back to the internal steel pin:

Just a quick check to see how much the dashboard will need adjusting; doesn't look too bad:

Fit & bond

Final step, 

I glued up the edge between the dash support panel and the scuttle, then mounted it in place on the chassis to get the correct shape. The panel is held in place with its bolts & a ratchet strap with rags strategically placed to put pressure in the right areas.

Then a line of bond along the front edge: (I'm going to re-visit this when the whole scuttle assembly comes back off)

The bond needs to go off & cure for a good day or so before I'm moving anything; then the front edge needs some rivets & the tabs cutting off and it should be pretty much done.

Roughly 2.5 hours work - lots of progress !

Scuttle - #2

I take it all back, the scuttle panel is as much 'fun' as the rear panel :)

I did only spend about 20-30 minutes on it this evening. The panel is not quite long enough to reach around each side without the help of a ratchet strap (padded) & while the ends are in place along the side panels its slightly deforming the firewall panel so will need some fettling:

I have the clecos in the front edge, It will need dismantling and the tabs adjusting before anything is fixed permanently:

It can sit like that for a couple of days, then I think I'll drill out a line of rivets along the rear edge to fit the inside panel. I also want to offer up the bonnet before bonding and fixing the geometry of everything:

Need some more M6 20mm washers!

Scuttle - #1

Time to fit the scuttle; 

First the firewall needs its final fit and rivnuts in place. I used low profile rivnuts; the ones on the chassis cross tube sit right at the front edge with the firewall panel lined up on its rear edge. This is all then bolted up tight along with the pedal box cover to give a datum for the scuttle panel:

It will all come off again before I'm done, for some foam draft strip to seal the removable parts & some washers under the bolts.

Scuttle panel

The scuttle panel is much easier to deal with than the rear panel, I used the same technique - rolled up towel to push into the corner, without kinking, as I rolled up the ends:

Just sat on top initially, I bolted down the offside to check the fit, but that leaves the nearside end high and dry - working from one end is not the way to go. This did let me identify where the panel needed some fitting though - a couple of notches/squares cut out of the leading edge:

Then working from the centre tab to either side drilling and holding with clecos, this should pull either side round to sit on the side tubes:

Battery tray panel & Firewall

Battery tray panel

I want to keep my options open re routing of heater pipes & access to the  loom which runs under the centre of the battery tray and above the gearbox. I thought about an access hatch in the panel (see pen lines) but ultimately decided the best approach was to cut the panel in half along the line of the chassis tube underneath.

I double checked the battery position with firewall and bonnet in place and the GT chassis seems to have enough width for the battery to sit completely over the passenger footwell.

Permanently riveted & bonded the passenger footwell section in place, with a couple of rivnuts on the leading edge of the centre section to bolt it down:

Firewall Prep

The idea is to have the firewall/scuttle easily removable while at the same time keeping the pedal box cover & passenger footwell cover permanent & sealed from the elements.

I modified the firewall: On the drivers side the tabs which originally sat on the chassis tube are bent vertically down to sit behind it meaning the whole thing can easily slide upwards when unbolted:

From the centre to passenger side the firewall sits on top of both panels, to be bolted in place only; thus

Firewall with scuttle should unbolt and be removed straight up, and the centre section of battery tray panel should slide out from under the firewall -or- if the scuttle/firewall section is removed can be lifted straight up:

All set for fitting. I think this is a good compromise, slightly more complex battery tray & firewall area, but gives me 100% access.

HP fuel return line re-route

When re-working the loom under the plenum I re-thought the fuel line routes & I think this is an improved layout for the return from the fuel pressure regulator to the swirl pot.

This time it goes along the outside diagonal chassis rail, I think this keeps things tidier and clear of the steering column:

The diagonal round chassis rail under the plenum takes the wiring & clutch cable.
The diagonal chassis rail on the side panel takes the fuel return & accelerator cable.

Offside front suspension & brake calliper

Ditto nearside except:

1. I found the return springs for the brake callipers - so I need to re-visit the nearside to fit one
2. I tightened the copper brake line, then tried to adust the brake line route a little and snapped the flared head off - clumsy & silly!

I need to seek out a pipe flaring kit to re-finish the end of the brake line.

Rear loom & Pedal Box Cover fit

Rear Loom

More time than I expected to finish off the cable routing under the boot space; including wiring up the fuel pump - which would have been much easier before the boot panel was in place. All set now - I'm leaving the boot floor open until I have adjusted the handbrake:

Pedal Box Cover

Rivnuts to hold the lid on - notable here is no rivnut on the front offsite to allow clearance for the accelerator cable (of course I only realised that after drilling the holes, but luckily just before I installed the rivnut :).  An extra rivnut on the front edge to make this rock solid since the accelerator cable outer pulls against this during operation. Not forgetting 4x holes on the back tabs ready to attach to the firewall panel.

I had already fitted and done most of the adjustment on the cover, and this time it only needed a little taken off the outside edge to sit snugly against the side panel. The rivet holes and final fit was all marked up and drilled with the cover's lid in place too.

Bonded and riveted in place:

Making doubly/trebly sure the accelerator pivot bolt holes are in line:

Side Panel - offside on

My next milestone, both side panels are now in place;

Moved the car over to the other side of the garage this weekend, faffed around trying to work out IACV wiring, tidied up some of the wiring in the boot area and then moved on to the side panels:

First up - showing my rivet positions, the fit & clecos:

Then bonded into place down all the side chassis rails and rived. I'll leave it to go off a little overnight before completing the rear quarter panel and re-installing the suspension. The steering rack hole lines up a little better on this side: