1981 QP III 5 Speed and 1986 QP III Auto

I learned something I never knew. The bonnet/hood has a service position whereby you take out two bolts and it fixes at 90 deg as shown in the picture - very cool when you learn something totally new. Anyway, it is clear the car hit something fairly hard on the front crossmember at some time and bent it back to virtually touch the pan. Absent taking the engine out it would seem to be an impossible fix. At some point the frame member was cosmetically made to look better (putty and underseal) - not a safety point but it would be nice to sort. I had thought of sliding another piece of angle iron in and either screwing or clamping or spot welding in place to fix it and then press it. Not sure if that is feasible or if I should just leave it until time requires the motor to be out.

The car is still very good. Clearly everything rubber needs redoing so I was on the right track. Surprisingly it had a "long life" exhaust which they tell me is stainless so just needs repaired. I am a bit disappointed to be honest as I did want a bit more of a V8 sound out of the system.

Clearly also the fuel system was sorted out by a partially functioning orangutang (Pratchett fans out there). Anyway, I will need to get this right as part of the process.

So more later.
PS I may have an extra tool kit from my scrapped 82 but not 100% sure so I do need a tool kit and an owners manual.

Ciao

 

Oh, the 2 door looks very good

 

I am posting a better picture of the offending crossmember. Ideas appreciated.

Also, for posterity a picture of the car with the AA present (with permission). Surely a rare sight - old Maserati and the AA!

We decided to replace the head gaskets on the car which allows us to check all the oily bits. The motor should be OK as I have just turned 19960KM but want to get it all sorted right. Need a new water pump.

I will send details of the shop where the work is being done but they are enthusiasts with the owner having a Mexico and Kyalami. He also sold the most expensive QP III sold recently. I think it will be in a mag along with a Ferrari and Lagonda.

Ciao for now
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Well - a huge load of parts is on Fedex from MIE who were very helpful as usual. I also have a load of goodies coming from Joedro (4 doors and glass, windows, wheels, a few interior parts and misc). I can't wait to see the load of parts.

We have decided to take out the motor as we are going to open it up to make sure all is perfect. It appears in SA the dealer there did take apart the motor at some point and we want to make sure there are no hidden problems or issues.

So with the motor out we will also be able to true up the front cross member to make it good again which will make me feel much better as I hate a hidden problem even if no one will ever see it. Thanks for all your advice and help on this.

First plan will be to put the new u joints on the rear and do a really good test drive with Mark from Prestige to check out the gearbox and the other issues.

More pictures soon!

 

I went to look at the 86 and see how the paint has stood up. It was painted some time ago and then stored for some time. The paint does look good but much of the mechanical work that I thought had been done has not been done. A few things concern me:

Window trim is not with the car (I may need to get this from a wrecked car if not found)
The diamond material is missing from the left side of the engine bay (source for this?)

Other than that a lot of work to be done and I need to decide what to do with the whole process!

Ciao for now

 

Trying to upload a few pics
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A few more pics. Note the damage to the leather by front window caused by tape used probably by the window removal team (they broke both anyway).
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86 Motor Bay. Work to date includes a free flow recore of the rad and new hoses and belts. I have a new Cavis for this car and it is very dirty mainly from the repaint mess. It would need the oil leaks fixed from the valve cover gaskets, crackle painting and new decals on the air cleaner. I am told the air cleaner was part of the requirements for Switzerland but that it is noisy and redundant and should be taken off. Thoughts on this? The 81 has the bracket but no cleaner so either it was removed or was not require in South Africa.
You can see the left side of the motor is now missing its diamond material and hole cover. I am hoping it is rolled up somewhere. What have other people done?

Also there is a heavy U shaped hard moulding that goes where the diamond material joins the fender. These are both missing now and I will need old ones or replacement ones. Again, what have others done with this.

Thanks
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Thanks I wasn't sure if anyone was listening! Anyway, I made a decision today that will make my life a bit easier. First, the 86 needs to get back on the road as it has been way too long apart and the risk of more bits flying away increases. So, I will do the small bits on the 81 to make it safe - rear U joint, tune up and ball joints. It can then wait.

I move the 86 to the same shop on Monday with all the parts and we will focus on getting this in shape fully once the windows come. I have ordered two front windows and one rear from Joedro. I am also following the black repaint car as he is having new windows made in heated form. I will likely get these and put them in store. His view is the old windows from Joedro were "fragile" due to age and would suffer from airfreight. I have not heard of this but possible.

I welcome any thoughts on where to get the diamond material or suitable replacement and the U material to fix this to the fender!

So order of service:

1. Get 81 safe (u joint, ball joints and fix rough running)
2. Pop out ZF for rebuild
3. It will go off for painting in March

4. Get work sorted on the 86 and on the road.

More later and a few more pictures!

 

Here are some pics of the car being moved along with a full van load of parts. Lots of fun. So the cars are together and works begins asap. Did you know the mirrors are very different between an 86 and an 81.

Ciao for now

Wm
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A few more pics. I will try to keep the photos modest!

Ciao
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I wish I could do more but sadly I live in central London with no spot to work on it. The cars are now both with Prestige in Ebbsfleet entrusted to Mark. Mark is an enthusiast with several cars of his own and has recently sold what was the lowest mileage original car in the UK. He recommissioned it and sold it for just under 30,000 pounds sterling.

He really liked the 86 and it was great fun to go through all the parts. He does feel there is a motor issue with the 81 so that will need to be sorted. So if I proceed we will pop out the motor and gearbox and the paint can be done on the car without motor........

http://www.prestigeandperformancecars.co.uk/index.html

 

I had ordered loads of lovely parts from MIE. There was a slight mixup in addresses as my old address was put in as home and the new one as delivery. Given there were hundreds of kilos of parts better to get delivered to Prestige so this was changed. I was later advised by FEDEX that when it is changed it does not change the delivery! It goes first to the delivery station near the OLD address then when they check they note the correct address on the record and send it back to the airport. They said that had happened and it would be delivered on Monday. 1 of the 2 boxes was later delivered and the second box has not been seen. So I have 3 of the 4 rear shocks. None of the Ujoints needed to get the 81 mobile to test and we await the parcel being noticed sitting around somewhere in the planet Fedex. Ahhhrrrrgggghhh is all I can say.

It appears that the storage of the 86 did no long term damage; however, we are missing the long trim, an extra rear bumper I bought some time ago for parts, and both sets of window trim. The guy is "looking" for them but probably works for Fedex part time.......

As a backup measure I have ordered a trim set from Joedro which I hope will not require too much work. The trim from my car was perfect so I do hope it turns up.

On the car the trim is going on and I hope to have a few pics shortly.

Ciao

 

I am attaching a few pics. Sorry for the poor quality. The shop where it was stored has failed to return the long chrome, an extra bumper and the A frame chrome. Front and rear window chromes also missing so hoping that a good search of his lock up will reveal the originals. I have a set coming from the US but much better to have the correct ones. Disappointed that people don't take proper care.

Anyway Have a Very Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season!!
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Side windows and mechanisms adjusted and working.
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I left a post on the catch all thread but I am really compromised as the shop I had been using lost a number of items including the nice original bumper! Their phone seems to be not working now to reply also!!

I ordered a bumper from Joedro which I put on but it is damaged on the rubber! Ahhrrgghh. Please help. I posted a picture of the new holes needed to fit the bumper side pieces. I think the new ones from MIE do not fit the European car easily. They do look a bit odd in terms of fit so will need some working.


Anyway, we have the new front end fitted from MIE. To me it seems to sit a lot higher but I could just be visual until the back end gets fitted. Does anyone know if they gave a higher ride than the stock European cars? I have a few pics. The body shop was not as good for the very bottom of the car and cut corners so we will have to redo a few bits. Double ahhrrrgghh.

We painted/dyed/treated the leather on the top that was damaged by the front window and it seems to have come out very well so I am happy with that.

Ciao for now
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