Red Rattler Revamp

Post photos of your pride and joy, or updates on your rebuild!

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Blacky
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by Blacky »

EK283 wrote: Fri Nov 21, 2025 6:23 am So did you get it on the DYNO ?

Greg
Not yet mate, want to make sure its all behaving rather than be fiddling around fixing stuff while its bolted to the dyno costing me $200+ an hour.
I started with nothing and still have most of it left.


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Errol62
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by Errol62 »

Jumping out of third could be engine mounts or bellhousing bolts binding.


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Harv
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by Harv »

If you hang a bag off the gear lever it won’t jump out of third :mrgreen:

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Blacky
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by Blacky »

Spoke to the gearbox guy who reconditioned the gearbox today, he is of the belief that if there was a misalignment issue between the engine and the gearbox it would misbehave in EVERY gear not just 3rd, and that seeing I fitted a non standard tail housing with a Chinese short shifter that would be the first place to start looking so that is the next job.
I started with nothing and still have most of it left.


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Mick
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by Mick »

how does one car cause so much grief, i could never drive it if it ever got finished (it never would get finished if i owned it) i'm to superstitious it would be cursed as far as i was concerned
sometimes yor just better off shitting in yor hands and clapping

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Blacky
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by Blacky »

Took the rattler out for another squirt today, pulled the console and shifter boot out and it didn’t jump out of gear once hopefully it was just the rubber boot giving me grief - better hit my trimmer mate up to knock up a vinyl one and get rid of the rubber one
Adjusted the bonnet and it doesn’t pop up now but still wants to go back more - will need to wait until someone is in the shed so I can remove the bonnet and slot the brackets a bit more


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Blacky
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by Blacky »

Got the bonnet sorted out over the weekend - took the hinges off and slotted the mounting holes now the bonnet stays shut Image it’s still a bit high at the back but good enough for this thing- not going to bother with these hinges on the 2 door they are too fiddly and ugly.
Also pulled the fan and radiator out to toss the 14” fan and fit a 16” in its place
Image
Image
Need to take a slice out of the top brace and will have to modify the bonnet catch - again …..
Image


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Errol62
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by Errol62 »

Love the second photo. Bit going on there mate.


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Blacky
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by Blacky »

Radiator done today ready to go back in, cut the lid of an old paint tin up to avoid any nasty boo boos while welding directly above the core
Image
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Craig Allardyce
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by Craig Allardyce »

You've probably checked it, but it's worth asking that your blade orientation is right for pushing or pulling air (not just direction of rotation).
These fans will loose up to 30% of rated air flow if they are fitted the wrong way. This is nothing to do with clockwise or anticlockwise.
Blacky
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by Blacky »

Craig Allardyce wrote: Tue Dec 23, 2025 9:50 pm You've probably checked it, but it's worth asking that your blade orientation is right for pushing or pulling air (not just direction of rotation).
These fans will loose up to 30% of rated air flow if they are fitted the wrong way. This is nothing to do with clockwise or anticlockwise.
Yeah mate checked that - the 14" fan was a cheapy that came with the Chinesuim radiator, the new one is a better quality decent wattage unit and is 16" so hopefully a better thing all round
I started with nothing and still have most of it left.


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EK283
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by EK283 »

All the rage at the moment is to have the fan behind the radiator.

This of course is impossible to do in most scenarios. The goal is to have the car cool when stationary and idling, just like being in traffic.

Of all the distasters that can happen with the old clunkers, overheating is my pet hate. Many a day and night ruined due to the big green volcano out the overflow. GRRRRRRR

The bigger the better in fan size !

Greg
So many cars so little time!
Blacky
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by Blacky »

EK283 wrote: Wed Dec 24, 2025 7:56 am All the rage at the moment is to have the fan behind the radiator.

This of course is impossible to do in most scenarios. The goal is to have the car cool when stationary and idling, just like being in traffic.
It used to have a mechanical fan on it and NEVER got hot - unfortunately the blower drive put paid to that
I started with nothing and still have most of it left.


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Errol62
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by Errol62 »

I used to run a Davies Craig fan in cowl on the back of the radiator in my 202 HX van no problem. May be able to do same on the van.


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Mick
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Re: Red Rattler Revamp

Post by Mick »

Blacky wrote: Wed Dec 24, 2025 12:27 am
Craig Allardyce wrote: Tue Dec 23, 2025 9:50 pm You've probably checked it, but it's worth asking that your blade orientation is right for pushing or pulling air (not just direction of rotation).
These fans will loose up to 30% of rated air flow if they are fitted the wrong way. This is nothing to do with clockwise or anticlockwise.
Yeah mate checked that - the 14" fan was a cheapy that came with the Chinesuim radiator, the new one is a better quality decent wattage unit and is 16" so hopefully a better thing all round
i had that on the Austin till an auto elec mate showed me the difference, even just playing with the wiring you could hear the difference in air being moved by the fan, took Chinesium off and replaced with Davies Craig big difference though still struggled to keep it cool, best thing i did was put water wetter or wetter water made by redline, i've never had any faith in stuff in a bottle read some reviews and thought what the hell nothing else is working and this did, car ran probably 10 degrees cooler, just enough to keep it under control except in the most extreme conditions
sometimes yor just better off shitting in yor hands and clapping

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