Hi from Australia

[Andy1892]

Hi everyone, my name is Andy and I am about 6 months into restoring my 1967/68 R4. It is an Australian built pre-facelift model and when I bought it, the engine ran (badly) and the car was able to be driven ... sloppy steering, no brakes and all. It is currently dismantled and as we are back in lockdown in my part of Australia, I have spent the last week or so scraping paint - original colour was light blue, repainted a bilious yellow at some point, then lovingly brush painted with what appears to be flat white house-paint! I have almost finished rebuilding the engine - stripped it back to a bare block and replaced big end and main bearings, timing chain and tensioner, rings and pretty much everthing else that bolts on. Just waiting for a shipment from Germany to finish rebuilding thecarby and it should be good to go.... when the rest of the car is finished in a couple of years time! Next up is rust repairs - so far, the only part of the shell to escape rust problems seems to be the right side B pillar. When my new welder arrives ( hopefully later this week), I will be starting where the tailgate frame used to meet the boot floor ... before the floor and tailgate frame evaporated from rust and start rebuilding my way forward. When all that is done, it will be a matter of new brakes, steering, cooling, rewiring, painting and reassembly - this should keep me off the streets until we can travel again! Cheers

 

[jjad]

Welcome to the forum! Do let us know how you progress

 

[edwin]

good looking car. Have you more pics?

 

[Andy1892]

Looks can be deceiving... photo of the driver side footwell shows that the floor has been replaced at some stage and the rot has come back with a vengeance. Note the lawnmower air-cleaner in the next photo - this was on the car when I purchased it! the next photo was taken yesterday and shows the current state of the body - most of it is now back to red primer and ready for rust repairs and rubdown - should keep me occupied for a few months. The final photo shows the cam chain - so stretched that the tensioner is ready to pop out of its housing. When combined with the blocked oil galleries I found in the crankshaft and congealed oil in the sump - I think the motor was about 30 minutes away from self destructing! Cheers, Andy

 

[edwin]

Mine had the same floor issues, and an order from Franzose provided a nice new floor pan now welded in place.
It will be a nice car when done.

 

[Andy1892]

I would have liked to get a new floor pan from Germany, however, after paying over Euro 700 to get a couple of mudguards and sundry other small metal bits shipped by sea (airfreight was even more expensive), I think I will be using 1.5 or 2.0mm flat plate with a couple of ribs welded on for the floor ... this is similar to what is in the car now - the original floor pan evaporated a number of years ago.

The main problem I am having is the cost of shipping stuff from Europe - not many parts available here.

 

[edwin]

After brexit we are experiencing more difficulties in getting some things just across the channel, just 21 miles of water. Its almost easier to go and collect it.