No problem taking off the glass, the insides get quite dirty....just separate them slowly checking the rubber seal does not rip.
Yes: the headlamp project......I have got to the point where I have worked it all out/sized it and fully measured for drilling's etc to enable a "standard fit" to be used by others. At the moment it is on hold as I need to get round to making new "glass" in blow down plastic......time
Thanks guys, will have a look at them soon
For now, I've just packed up for the day with the old engine on the floor, gearbox separated from it and torque converter draining as much as possible into the tray of stinky green gravy so I can measure roughly what has come out.
As far as the removal goes it was fairly smooth but in all honesty I think I'd have been better removing the engine/ box seperately & likely I'll get the replacement engine in first and fit the box to it as it just didn't want to know about coming out the top as one unit. Whether I missed something I don't know but it appears the gearbox mount bracket doesn't unbolt from the chassis leg on this car and that made the difference.
Update-: seems I stopped at a good time, I must be overtired as just had another look after dinner and I have indeed missed 2 bolts that would drop the bracket out of the way and make life easier by a big margin!
Really keen to get on with putting it all together but I have to respect my limits and maybe go at it afresh tomorrow. Just a few bits to swap to convert the engine to auto spec, water pipe/kickdown cable bracket etc, fit flex plate and it should be ready to attach the gearbox.
Bottom radiator hose doesn't look too clever either but only the usual oil damage to one end so either replace it or join a repair section in at some point, should have a decent bit of hose to suit. The plastic hose stubs on both engines look good at least,
Seem to recall that there's a company over in Germany who at least a few years back were offering a service to re-silver reflectors for Saab 900 and 9000s, don't know for certain but I imagine they would be able to do other cars too. Let me know if you'd like me to try to dig the link out when I'm at an actual computer.
Current fleet:
07 Volvo V70 SE D5, 85 Sinclair C5, 84 Trabant 601S, 73 AC Model 70, 62 Rover 110.
Scroll down on this page and you'll find a reference to resilvering antique headlamp reflectors, can't see why modern ones would be any different.
One customer of mine made a successful job of getting his car through an mot by lining the clapped out reflectors with the silver stuff that tea bags are packed in, he tried first with Bacofoil but it wasn't silver/reflective enough.
They cannot do "resin" made reflectors (as per Xantia). The only cost effective method is by having them "vacuum deposited" as per the OEM method. Mylar film will melt in a Xantia headlamp.
Re: teabag reflectors, that sounds like something I would have done back in the day
Had some forced rest from the Xantia yesterday due in part to tendinitis affecting my right hand and making it a bit " interesting " holding any tools. Still sore and clicking away this morning but I'll try and make some progress shortly, I wanna hear her roar
Well I got a chance to do some work earlier, engine is just about in & before stopping for the day I hooked up the fuel lines & a temporary power supply to starter/glow plugs & stop solenoid, the result being......
She's a runner once again!!! I didn't let the engine run for long, mindful that I have no cooling system and the gearbox isn't bolted to the flex plate but its enough to confirm the replacement engine seems to be in rude health and hopefully won't be long before she's cruising to the MoT station. Happy days, and again a huge thanks to Harlequin and Fastandfurryous for the all important healthy XUD9 lump. Off for a shower now as I could be mistaken for an employee of Chatterley Whitfield coal mine
Ahh that feels better, no longer feel or look as if I spent a shift down the pit... Depending how sore I am come tomorrow (and the weather) I may try and get the rest of it buttoned up but overall I have to be pleased with what I've managed today. Really can't think of much aside from the front discs/pads that would stop it being MoT'd sometime this week.
As an aside, total green goop drained from gearbox/TC is 5 litres (plus a few hundred ml spilled)!
Last edited by ekjdm14 on 09 Apr 2017, 20:22, edited 1 time in total.
I didn't let the engine run for long, mindful that I have no cooling system and the gearbox isn't bolted to the flex plate but its enough to confirm the replacement engine seems to be in rude health and hopefully won't be long before she's cruising to the MoT station. Happy days, and again a huge thanks to Harlequin and Fastandfurryous for the all important healthy XUD9 lump. Off for a shower now as I could be mistaken for an employee of Chatterley Whitfield coal mine 
