Little beast part 2

[mrflibbles]

the steel wheels look good on the car too! nice change from the hotwires you normally rock out on!

[pa_man]

I thought the same, those steel wheels look great!!
Looking forward to seeing the beast back at full strength for the next cruise!

[dave]

Bruno MAY have borrowed them from a certain GTR....! But yeah they look great on his car.

[flying]

I agree they look great -- possibly from early mitshubishi

[Glenn]

hint, see Dave's post above !

[GTtoo]

Yeah, it was only the other day Dave mentioned how much the Beastie had changed since he first saw it. And that includes all the things which needed doing, and definitely the great help that's been there along the way to achieve this. You know who you are

So now it's time to fess up about the wheels. Some months ago, I was priveledged to take on a guest in the shed, a temporary boarder if you like. With the renos happening, shed space was running out at Daves, so some space was made at home for a certain GT-R. Lets say it's been a pleasure AND beneficial babysitting the "Frog". "Beastie" and I will miss it when it has to go home.

With the "Frog" came two sets of wheels. Apart from a whole lot of other attention to the GT-R was the opportunity to have a little fun swapping wheels.

Here are some photos of what happens when 2 gt's are left alone in a shed

[mrflibbles]

nice, love the aggresive look of the black wheels against the blue, but i think the steelies in silver with the chrome really look good against the blue!

[GTtoo]

Yeah, those steelies are awesome because of the deep dish in them, and look funky on anything. They needed a little cleaning tho to get them to that standard. I've also given the black wantanabes a new coat of paint recently, so they will go on soon. More wheel swapping

I know this thread is about "Blue Beastie", but here are some more pics cause I don't think the last lot did the " Crazy Frog" much justice.

Cheers,

[pa_man]

Yep Early Mista Bitchi Sigma GE 78-80 Wheels
They look Great!
Josh

[Glenn]

13. Or 14 inch ?

[BULLITT]

BIT OF AN UNUSUAL PHOTO THE TOP PHOTO IS A 2 DOOR THE BOTTOM REFLECTION IS A 4 DOOR THE TOP LOOKS A BIT ...I SAID A BIT (GRICEY) LIKE YOUR GTR TORANA STRANGE LOOKING PICTURE THAT GAURD FLUETS THEN NO GAURD FLUETS THE ONLY REAL 2 DOOR CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG WAS THE SCORPION THERE IS ONE FOR SALE IN MELB ON GUMTREE ADVERTISED AS A 2 DOOR SIGMA CHEERS DAVO

[gricey]

Davo. You are right it Does look a bit like the Torana . Think I would rather have the Torana . Gricey

[dave]

Yeah we're all a bit off topic here, but that Chrysler Sigma GT advert has got me stumped; I am certain the only 2-door Sigma was, indeed the Scorpion, however I'm also certain we never got a GT model Sigma.

I thought we were the only market to get them badged as Chryslers rather than Mitsubishis but I'm happy to be corrected.

Anyway, the wheels are from a GE Chrysler Sigma; they are 13" and were only available on the first model (GE). Once the GH came out, the car became the Mitsubishi Sigma and I think 13" wheels were deleted in favour of 14".

I'd seen the original GT-R wheels in brochures and other photos and was sure they looked very similar. The Green machine came with 13" Watanabes you've seen above on Bruno's car, but the spare was still the original rim.

I haven't actually compared them side-by-side, but the centre pressing looks to be about 99% the same; the GE wheels actually look to have a more aggressive offset and may even be half inch wider, although I'm only guessing this.

Got 'em off Ebay for $80.00 for all four including good brand-name tyres with about 95% tread! Can't remember the brand (Dunlops or Goodyears or something - not Nankangs or bloody Triangles the guy tried to sell me for the VY Sandman the other day!!!) but the size is 185/60 I think, so pretty chubby.

Glad they fit! My phat Watanabes don't, which makes me very sad. But they fit the ratter so they're nt going anywhere out of my shed*


Dave

*unless they're on the ratter

[Glenn]

The GH wheels. Probably pretty hard to find but similar wheel, more slots...... and finding them with chrome trims, which set these types of wheels off, might be tough.

Wheel: Standard fitment steel GH Sigma rims
Size: 14 x 5 inches
FS: 55mm
BS: 110mm
Offset : +27.5mm

What width are the Wanatabe wheels and other mags that people are using on Belletts.Offsets ?

[GTtoo]

Quick correction there Dave. The tyres on your Sigma Steelies are 185/70's, which makes them look ultra chubby. Plus they seem to have more deep dish than the multi slotted 14's in the photo. What is interesting is there is still a finger width inside the rear wheel arch. I like the 4 slotties, more like original GT-R wheels,

My wire wheels have 165/70's, so when i expiremented with Daves 185/70's, I noticed the ratio changed a little as the radius is about an inch taller all round, similar possibly to a 14" with a lower profile. Hey Dave, I promise to put them back on the "Frog"....soon......really

Anyway, back to topic, sort of Blue Beastie has gone to the auto restorers for fixing the F...up! I'm getting over the seperation anxiety now. They promised to take good care of her. They will also do some other cosmetic touch ups i have negotiated a price with them for.

I'm also locked into some heated correspondence with the RAA, with a fist full of photographic evidence When they told me they would not enter into any claim, I replied: "I was not interested in compensation (as if that would happen anyway) but at least acknowledgment they F....d up on this occassion"

[PR91]

He said he enjoyed watching it driving along, but Bruno is still yet to have a ride in it and truly appreciate it's abject agriculturalness and total lack of similarities with a GT1600!!!

On the cards for soon, I hope.

B man, u ain't lived till u've experienced a Wasp.
any Wasp for that matter, but Dave's is an experience unlikened to any other....

[GTtoo]

WELL..........lots of things have happened since the last post on "Blue Beastie".....including being forced to take a drive around the block in Daves Wasp

Blue Beastie tho, has been temporarily side lined, since last week. Read the highjack in introductions, sorry Rowena.

Basically, after tappet gear adjustment at Ross's (great work, cheers mate) I had issues with the cover sealing on the way home. Found out it was the rear cover bolt shaft which had turned in the head as we were tensioning them down . I pulled out a thread of alloy on the thread of the shaft

I have since made my own gasket, polished the cover when it is off, and have "Captain Thread" coming around this morning to helicoil it back into the head.

A roll of gasket cork cost me $70 WTF, so if anyone needs a tappet cover gasket I can make one for you for a price

[oz_toffa]

So we have a new "Captain Tappet Cover Gasket" now in the group

great, i may need one or 2...


OZ

[degruch]

Could probably do with one as well...how big is this gasket roll???

[GTtoo]

About 2.5 metres long Gruchie, minus 1 wdth of tappet cover for my gasket. So quite a few gaskets in that roll.

Captain Thread did his thing, and as I thought was a little more complicated for him but is a master of what he does.

Using Loctite No. 4 was always going o be challenging with a fine, curvy gasket like that. Measured width all round is 7 mm like why not 8 or 10 or.....7 ??

The trick is to loctite the surface of the gasket to the cover first, messy sh@%$ that is!! Then after curing it for a while loctite the underside of the gasket and put the cover in place carefully making sure the gasket is in place around the cover lip and on the head bead. It is maybe the trickiest thing I have ever done in my life apart from.......

I have lifted the rubber height, extra grommet from Clak Rubber. Screw both bolts down little at a time each to share a load. It should take all day until the cover is srcerwed down firm, don't overtighten, finger tighten on the spanner only.

I haven't started it today as it's getting dark, cold and should be started when the day warms up tomorrow to cure the sealant and give the bolts a last tweek.

B.