Peter's GTM Libra Site

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28th July - 31st July

I've had a very good day today, without any disturbances so I've managed to get a lot done.  I started with the engine frame.  This is quite hard to do when you're working on your own!  It's quite cumbersome to hold and to mark the holes out, etc.  Saying that though, the indents on the tub lined up quite well for this part.

I next moved onto the filler cap.  It's a really nice part of the car.  I've not put the filler pipes in yet, as I'm waiting for a genuine metro fuel tank to arrive.  I bought a reproduction Canadian tank, but after hearing stories that they cause fuel starvation I decided to find a genuine Rover one.  The filler cap came with two sets of screws.  'Short ones' and 'long ones', neither were ideal, as the short ones were too short and the long ones way too long!!

I couldn't resist attempting to fit the engine next! 

I didn't have time today to get it bolted in as I came across a few problems (which I've seen on other cars too).  The first one, shown below is that the MGF gearbox/hydraulic clutch mount hits the engine frame.

I quick wizz with the grinder and that was sorted!

What stopped me getting any further tonight was the GTM gearbox mount.  As shown below, there's quite a gap and I didn't want to bolt it up as the mount is rubber and I think it would just pull the mount out.  Also there seems to be quite a taper at the top of the bracket, i.e they're not lining up parallel. 

I came back to fitting the engine the next morning and it all lined up beautifully, so I quickly bolted it all up!  The axle stand was just incase the whole car toppled back when I lowered the weight of the engine, but it was fine!

I forgot to fit the heat shield on the brake lines before the engine went in, so that'll be a bit fiddly to sort later.

I started the wiring today.  I thought it was going to be horrendous when I saw the 'jungle' lying on the garage floor, but once I'd laid it out it was pretty straight forward.

The wiring has quite a few looms that all need to be joined together.  The original metro loom has to have the rear end cut off and is then joined to the Libra main loom, in various connectors and soldered joints etc.  The Libra main loom runs through the tunnel to the back where it joins the rear clam shell loom and the engine bay loom.  At the front the loom runs round the front radiator ducting then joins the front clam shell loom.  I've left it all messy at the moment so that I'm sure it all fits before tidying it up and tying it back.

The original metro fuse box is used at the front.  I'm still waiting for my instrument pack to arrive, so I cant do much more wiring in the dash board for now.

 
                   
 
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