After collecting the diff from Phil, it sat around for a bit, not doing much, until my brother offered his services to help get it ready. Taking him up on his offer, and knowing that presented with a challenge he'll always accept, I got him to bench press the diff in to position while I sorted the hardware, and, half an hour later, it was in! A few other bits we tackled there and then, but called it a day as we both had other things to get up to.

A week or two later and it's time to put everything back together. First, I pumped the diff oil in to the diff, then reassembled the rear end. The A-frame was the biggest pain in the behind, as manouevering the de dion tube on my own, whilst trying to line it up with the A frame, was not easy! I then torqued it all up, making sure I got everything as per the manual, and polished off the wing and as much as I could do on the front end. This involved making up a bracket for the water bottle out of some old aluminium, measure, cut, drill, rivet, all pretty straightforward and a masterpiece if I may say so!

A few days later, and my hose arrived from Think (quite an ordeal to order it, but got there in the end!). I fitted that, got it all as tight as I dared, and filled the engine with oil. Stuck the battery on charge just in case, and cranked for pressure until I got worried about damaging the battery. Did it again a while later, for as long as I dared again. Nothing on the gauge... One final crank, and I figured that if there wasn't oil in all the right places by now then there was not much hope for the engine! Fired her up, started first time, and although there was a little clicking from the top end to start with, it disappeared within seconds. All good!

A little drive back and forth in the garden ensured everything was moving ok, and I left it to warm up a bit. The new 'dual' temperature gauge worked flawlessly, and it was seemingly leak free. Time to take it for a test drive. First impressions are good - the car seems to have a lot more traction, and is a lot harder to provoke, which is good. Some clonking is apparent, but no more than there was before. No over heating, good oil pressure, and plenty of speed. Fell in love all over again!

Got back to the garage and had another quick check, and all seemed to be in the right place still, but rolling the car about did reveal some clonking from the rear end - I'm not sure if this is normal for a ATB, but I think I'll check with the POBC and Phil.

I then decided to tackle the half doors, and that's when my run of good fortune came to an end, pulling a rivet through the skin at the rear and making it look like a dogs dinner. A strategically placed popper base should cover it up, but it might just be safer to use a self tapper and secure the doors on permanently. I should be able to get in and out ok like that... Ah well, it's not the end of the world. The chassis is looking a bit grotty so perhaps a full strip and rebuild and reskin is in order some time in the next few years (perhaps that's a job for a bonus, if I ever get one!). I can live with it for now. Called it a day, so will tackle the doors another time.

A couple of pics:

http://photos-g.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-frc/10254142_551934458257094_1567892980_n.jpg

http://distilleryimage2.ak.instagram.com/792cb81ece5c11e3a3940002c9c756b2_8.jpg