S544AOX restoration thread!
 

Hi all this is the thread for the restoration of the moon stone green S reg 75! This car is in a very shocking state and very heartbreaking to see being an enthusiast!

This is going to be restored to show room condition and no half measure will be done everything down to the correct nuts and bolts so throughout I probably seeing what people have hidden away!

So please comment and follow

Enjoy reading

For the past 2 days we have had the old girl in the workshop on one of the ramps while we start checking the condtion of things and working out what is missing so far. Its unbelievable the damage that has been done to this motor considering the state it was in 5 years ago! I really am shocked to be honest!

So far we have found the following damage that has been done to this once lovely motor.

Front bumper gouge marks cuts in places and the grill was completely destroyed with half the fins ripped out!

No front slam panel the one that came with the car was more rotten than titanic in places and not the correct one seen as it had the single horn fitted etc

The front radiator and fan assembly is damaged, the autobox cooler is bent and mangled from where forklift forks seem to have been present. The radiator core for the engine completely corroded through with the core collapsing on the bottom as well.

The front cooling pipes for the oil cooler the metal type the curvy ones from the early type corroded to high hell.

The front passenger wheel brake caliper seized and completely covered in Welsh soil great there goes my clean floor lol.

ABS sensor wiring ripped out and the wheel arch liner on the passenger front completely destroyed,

The drivers side rear caliper covered in muck against and thick clumps off it same thing this time the actual wheel arch liner completely gone! ABS wires and brake were wires ripped out of there sockets and bare wires showing.

Front bumper light fittings missing the front fog lights completely missing, indicator lenses missing,

The boot is damaged where it's been pushed with a tractor as I've seen pictures from five years ago and that was not damaged! This has been damaged and the Cowley Rover plinth is missing, so need to source the correct one, the wiring for the boot has been ripped and plugs missing so no wonder the electrics here don't work and the rear tail light fitting on the drivers side completely smashed to pieces.

The boot wheel well is like a swimming pool so this has not helped in this area.

We have a giant hole in the sill on the drivers side and going to have to rebuild this whole area.

Rear brakes need overhauling as the calipers are seized on and the brake lines are not brand new like they were meant to be still factory original! The underneath completely covered in muck and thick muck, blown all the muck out of the outriggers and suspension on the subframe the back plates on the rear wheels have corroded through so going to need to change these.

On the inside the original high line system which was there 5 years ago is long gone! The drivers side cupholder has gone, the inside is like a swamp so going to need to remove the interior and go through this.

All the wiring is a complete mess but I believe this is from the previous owner as there's weird looking boxes on all the doors etc and a aftermarket alarm system installed.

The door looms are a mess , everything hanging out.

The main power steering cooler pipe is completely missing and the ends for the pipes that go there from the power steering pump has been cut on both pipes! Why could they not have just undone them that's made a right pig's dinner of it.

The fuel filler cap is long gone which we know was there 5 years ago.

We have taped up the sunroof for the time been to stop any more water leaking it as it will be pulled in and out at times when we have a ramp free it will be pulled in a few bits done.

The fuel pump in the tank is completely dead but from what I've been told you put a pump in it burns them out after a minute!

The engine inlet has the dreaded play in the inlet valves mechanism.

Thermostat has popped and all the coolant pipes have seen better days.

Scuttle panel is broken and snapped in places.

We've removed the ECU to protect it from anymore damage!

The engine is seized at the moment but we've poured some diesel down the bores to loose things. I am told the engine once did run but sounded like a bag of nails but our plan is to strip it down and rebuild it so it's a matching numbers car!

So this is were we are at at the moment the more we look the more we find that requires attention.

But on a positive note all ready got genuine parts am finding and a big thank you to forum member Kev Wilson who I bought a genuine original rear subframe he had hidden in loft! Thank you to Paul Murray who sold me a set of new front brake plates genuine original, and to Kev Ellis in Stafford who I've bought a genuine brand new tank strap as this one is falling to bits!

We have also had the paint work guys round to have a look and see what be needed to be done dent wise etc for when it gets its paint sorted!

So we are on the look out for genuine Cowley front and rear bumpers.

Looking forward to following your progress on this daunting task.:bowdown:

Looking forward to reading progress reports Chris and hopefully some photographs? ;)

Simon

Shame there are no shows just now to trailer it to so people can see the enormity of the task.
Good luck.
You have my admiration sir

Wow !! That's some project. Wishing you every success !!

Cheers all for your friendly comments, going to be a big battle and a big task if anyone knows how I can add my photos on here please do tell! Tried one easy but didnt work, but you can find them on our bussiness website soon! And videos on our YouTube channel!

Now I assigned 3 days on the ramp before I need my third ramp back and had my farther in law who's 78 helping along with the wife JJ while me and my team sort out customers work,

Today few bits got done on the s reg! The smashed rear light has been removed and put in the trash! The damaged boot lid has been removed and assigned to our scrap pile,

New parts sourced in the last 24 hrs which I cant belive the amount of people from the forum and facebook who have offerd assistance and parts at fair prices! We have sourced a cowley Rover 75 v6 auto that's not in the best spec and wont be missed but it's got the wiring we need etc,

But sourced

Genuine original new fuel tank strap !
Genuine early type fuel pump and filiter cheers dave roe
Genuine front brake back plates
Genuine new rear subframe ( cheers kev for allowing me to buy from your hord )

Also parts I've pulled out of my storage garage from a cowley that was used for another project from.another customer at the time,

Genuine slam panel with twin horn and correct stickers
Engine little plate for the ground strap on timing end!
New grill from my mate karl who had one spare!

But back to the lady her self, the trick with the diesel has worked and we can freely turn the crank by hand! Weve put a battery on and we have power to 1 door at present, no power to the boot lock but weve found broken wire missing the plug, we have 1 window we can make.work to air the car out, fuel pump is completely dead! New one sourced so once that arrives will be fitting,

The damaged passanger side wing has been removed and nee one has been put on and lined up! Will be painted to match,

So not too bad bit of progress made

Posting photos
 

'if anyone knows how I can add my photos on here please do tell!'

The 'Tapatalk' app could be ideal for you. For some odd reason, Windows 10 doesn't like downloading photos from my iPhone any more. But I can use 'Tapatalk' to pull the photos direct from the phone.
Download 'Tapatalk'. Register the forums you want to access. Find the thread you're posting on. Select the photos you want. Then choose the small resolution option and post. Once you're over the learning curve you'll be fine. Hope this helps.

Hi Chris, didn't you have a place in N. Wales once?
Anyway, images, I think you have to subscribe, then either a hosting site, I use Imgur, or https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...d.php?t=159955

Chris,
can you clear your PM inbox please

EDIT: works ok now PM sent