Q835XSC - Dutton Legerra Series 2

[Adrian Southgate]

So, collected last weekend and the first chance I get to go over it we have snow / hail / rain and gales... lovely if your a penguin I guess...

Q835XSC purchased from the factory in 1988, completed in 1990, stored for the winter in 1991 and there it sat for 22 years, possibly one of the saddest Legerras I have ever seen apart from my black one.

It was rough, body panels off, windscreen missing and a sorry case of 4 wheel drum brakes... 

Today it got a wash, nothing special just caravan cleaner and a sponge but an improvement on fungus and moss...

Hell of a job on here lads, starting with a body off chassis check, bushes and bolts and some refurb bits fresh from the sand blasting cabinet.

I will be posting more detail on Mr G's but major updates will be copied onto here too.

[Adrian Southgate]

Geeez...

Oh well, heres a photo for you... The red arrow is the awkward pallet yard.. the white arrow is the unit.

I do have a photo of the unit but it's before I started sorting the boxes of parts out.

[Adrian Southgate]

I did ask the pallet yard if I could have a pile of four or five pallets to stand the body on... he said monday, i said don't bother. They have half an acre of used pallets in stacks 30 high (or more) hells bells you can see them on google earth...

[Adrian Southgate]

Well at some point I will have it dangling from a crane, maybe I can use big fishing scales or a pallet truck with weighing facilities.

It started to rain before I took pictures and I had to get the green one in to stop it getting wet, now everything is obstucted so photo's will have to wait until next weekend.

[James Doulton]

Wot, no photo?

If you get a chance to squeeze the bathroom scales under it, then it would be good to know just what the body weighs. My guess is that it will be around the 200Kg mark.

[Adrian Southgate]

A progress report is due.

Today, with a lot of bodies present (cheers fellas) the body came off. Its now parked at chest height off the floor with all the excess body panels removed apart from the front bumper and doors. Two of the bolts holding the front bumper will need persuading with a small angry grinder. Chassis exposed and it is one with high turrets on the front. Rear shock brackets are drunk as expected so will be coming off for adjustment. Gussets will be added and extra lower box section added to the main rails. Modifications to the gearbox mount area will also be made to allow the box to be removed from underneath. Extra cross bracing and two diagonal braces will be added before the whole lot goes to be blasted. Plate will be added under the seat to further brace the cross members. Filler plates will be made out of ally to make the most of funneling airflow from the front, through the rad and then out of the under bonnet area in a controlled manner rather than letting it just get trapped.

The body needs repairing in places under the bonnet so foam fillers will be carved and covered in tough polythene to enable easy removal once the repairs are completed. Front bumper will be modified to force air into the void in front of the rad, this will reduce the ground clearance across the front in the same way as Q91CMV was modified. It doubles the area of air inlet aperture in the lower portion of the bumper. Ducting will be fitted to the outboard holes below the indicators which will also force more air into the radiator void. This will hopefully resolve any overheating issue when moving. I will also be fitting a 12 inch 'puller' fan to the back of the rad to resolve any overheating when stationary.

I plan to use a 1300 HC crossflow engine but want to get the exhaust valve seats done to GT spec so I can use bigger valves and normal unleaded. I have a four branch exhaust, GT weber inlet and 32/36 progressive twin choke. Not made my mind up which wheels it's getting and probably won't until it's ready for sale.

Thats it until next weekend as i'm off to see XH558 tomorrow in her hanger.

 

[Adrian Southgate]

Hmmm might need a bigger blast cabinet too..

[Adrian Southgate]

Unfortunately not that toy Paul..

I have a pillar drill with a moveable base plate, a hub mounted on a gimbal and sliders so I can tip the wheel through 45 degrees, spin it round, and move it fore/aft and left /right. good for using a DA disc or scotchbrite disc in a fixed position and moving the wheel up against it, then tip the rim slightly and allow the disc/buffer to do its thing.  I'll be testing it out on a set of RS wheels as soon as I finish assembly.

Looking at getting a tyre fitting machine too as I anticipate being able to process quite a few wheels in a weekend (even more if I can sack off the day job)

[Paul Sheridan]

Spin them Up !!  Have we finally invested in a new toy Ade?  

[Adrian Southgate]

I have the urge to spin them up and machine off the spokes but it will be compromised by the centre section which is raised and not round. Still, they'll keep it off the deck which the old 8 spokes didn't (all went flat eventually) I now have to make the decision on which type of rims to fit so I can set the suspension up while the body is off. I know the back shock brackets are about 3/4 of an inch out on the green one so assume they may be on this too. Front is out of kilter as usual so the ARB is going and adjustable tension bars fitted instead. 

[James Doulton]

It is amazing the difference that a set of wheels can make. Those look very nice ... but a little small, as you say.