Happy New Year !!

For the second time in a year (!) I have emptied the cockpit of my ’74 automatic convertible. In view of:

• A serious electrical fault (complete power failure, engine and lights) where I have not been able to identify a specific cause despite hours (!) of looking
• Finding a moderate amount of rust in the metalwork
• Cracking the windscreen (empty windscreen frame at the moment)
• Seized alternator, shot water pump, and worn fan clutch (all at the same time)
• Lengthy investigation of electrical problems with the aircon
• Leaking heating core (which necessitated the current stripping out)
• Sagging seats
• Other problems not affecting this current posting – oil leaks, hydraulic leaks, apparently bent arm on rear lid, bent back lower frame of soft top,……….

I still love my car – it is the best car in the world, (although at first lovingly called ‘Baby’, but now called ‘Duplicitous B**ch’)

I have decided to completely strip everything except steering column, brake and accelerator pedals from the cockpit, and renew anything that is perishable including the dash and ignition wiring looms (harness), treat the rust and renovate the seats.

My REAL problem is that I have a garage full of parts and various containers full of nuts and bolts (only from this car by the way), can anybody advise me of the sequence in which to put everything back. I have the assembly manual (in which you can never find the picture you want at that particular time, but which is always there the following day!) and the service manual (which in one short paragraph explains how to dismantle and reinstall the dash -ie the instrument panels cowl with speedo and rev meter- which in practice took 8 hours to take out and 12 to put back!)

If nobody has a personal list explaining the sequence, is there a good book which explains it?

I still love my car, I still love my car, I still love my car, I still love my car, I still love my car, I still love my car, I still love my car, I still love my car, I still love my car

Thanks and regards
David Havard

PS. This just leaves the front end, the rear end and the chassis to do.

I think everyone really feels for ya, believe me. I hate to say this, but I think you know now you should have photographed every assembly and sub-assembly before you disassembled them, and bagged and marked all the parts for what they go with.

From the problems you say you have, I think you should give serious consideration to doing a complete body-off on your car since it means that much to you. You're already part way there since you've stripped the interior and intend to replace the wiring harness. I know this will take longer, but the job should be done much better and you'll likely be better pleased with the results.

Good luck my friend.

whoa, "duplicitous". anybody from south of the Mason-Dixon ever use that word?
Gunslinger's right. we've all made that mistake and called our babies duplicitous. just kidding. I'm sure a little English culture wouldn't hurt us on this side of the pond. good luck.

Ok, I'm slow.... What's the meaning of "duplicitous"...

Duplicitous means two faced, untrustworthy or stab you in the back when you least expect it. You know...like a politician.

Duplicitous = thereby lies a tale.

She changed from 'Baby' to 'B**ch' with the persistent electrical problem.

Then there was a fast exit from a roundabout (traffic cirlce) and a challenge to an MR2. After half a mile, the bang came and smoke poured through the dashboard. She broke one fan belt, which dislodged another and twisted the third. There ensued a journey on the back of a lorry.

On inspection, the reason was obvious. Burnt paint on the alternator pulley and grating movement of the shaft indicated broken bearings. NoO problem, re-built in one day.

Put everything back together and started up. My colleague, who was standing by the open hood, exclaimed he was getting wet. And there it was, a cascade of water coming from the water pump spinning in a delicate arch. That, my firend, is duplicitous. Why? (the wife asks) because the 'B**ch' let me put it all back together before spraying the water.

I learn quickly. What's that washer on the fan driveshaft? That is a broken clutch!

So, all three items went on a single occasion. When somebody first saw this car, they said it was male. She is a true duplicitous 'Bi**h' like any fast woman.

Seriously, Gunslinger, when I started stripping her down to replace the heater core, screws, nuts, etc, were associated with individual parts, and as this is the second time I've taken her apart, I can remember much of the detail of the finished construction. The real question is, I am not sure of the sequence in which to put back the major components. I know the heater core goes back first, but then when does one put in the wiring harness vs the aircon trunking vs the tie bars. The most difficult part last time was putting the speedo/rev meter assembly in place and I'm not sure whether we had not taken out the tie bars and harness. The service book I have is no help in this respect. Can anybody just the order in which they would put back the major components?

Thanks for your interest. I have to go back to my big, blue duplicitious mistress

I've not done what you're doing. I wish I could be of more help. I hope someone else here has the experience and knowledge to help you on this one.