Update time!!
Right so as I showed a few days ago I collected the shell on Monday after it had spent the weekend drying after painting. While there it had the new seat rails fitted at the correct spacing apart which now gives much more flexibility, a few areas of missing welds on the cage were sorted, the central tunnel was modified to relocate the linkage further forwards. This involved cutting the strengthening bar from under the car but this has been replaced with 2 bars laterally one in front and one behind the gearstick. The plate was then double skinned with a Genny used to create extra strength in the top panel.
The strut tops that I had planned to get fabricated haven’t happened while it’s been in, one reason being struggling to get them made in time and two being really lacking funds and it’s a nicety rather than a necessity so all I have done is got the strut towers ready to be modified so it’s only a few hours work to fit them mid season when they are made. Pure motorsport will be making the kit and I’m sure it’ll be the same quality as all there other kit so I’m looking forward to seeing that on the car. The plan is for that to be done in the middle of the year once I have some data and seen how the changes I have made over winter affect things with the car.
I then spent a long time prepping the shell for painting which RG engineering did an awesome job of painting!
Once the shell was home it was time to start the rebuild, firstly fitting the subframe and then moving onto the EPAS. I wanted to rig it up to ensure it worked before fitting the engine and it didn’t after nearly a day wasted and a lot of help from Mick@Diamond, Chip and Mark I then found out that the EPAS wouldn’t work unless it see’s a required load to turn (Wheels on ground etc) so hopefully that is all fine and I carried on with the rebuild.
The next job was the brake lines, clutch cable etc. Then fitting some of the shiny parts back on
Sorting out more bodge jobs!!!
Before:
After:
Could do with buying new trumpets as they have been attacked with pliers by the looks of it early last year but again not got money to be spending on that atm
The hub’s were awful and had a lot of rust on them so I spent most of one day cleaning them up then giving them a dose of Karust and then painting them up which has massively improved them. I wanted to get them powder coated but didn’t want to waste money having to change bearings etc so just painted them by hand.
It was then time to assemble the flywheel and clutch to the engine and also build the gearbox back up after a lick of Alumna blast
I was working my week around getting the car into a state where I could fit the engine on Saturday as very kindly Russ (Sprintcup) had offered to come round and help.
So this morning after a rather delayed start as I had a house viewing and didn’t think they would appreciate me shuffling an engine in myself and Russ got started on getting the engine back in.
We started off by mounting the box to the engine that I was worried about as I didn’t have a clutch alignment tool but all was okay and it sailed on. Then we started to line it up to the engine bay. As you can see in the photos all the car is fresh paint or powdercoat so it was a rather delicate mission and after one hour of swearing it was in the hole and then Russ and I got cracking with plumbing it in and doing engine mount’s, clutch and throttle cables etc.
While having Russ to help out it seemed wise to get some more of the bulkier jobs done so we got the fuel tank and line in along with also a couple of other bits that required more skills than I have
I really owe Russ big time so thanks mate! True legend driving all the way over to help out
So that’s it for now really just been doing a few other small bits and pieces like starting to plan out the runs of the brakes pipes and other simple bits and bobs.
The car should be back on its wheels and pretty much finished in the next week apart from the loom. I’m really dreading doing the loom and also have to design and make a switch panel etc so got my work cut out on that but that won’t be being started until March.
Thanks for reading as always
Best Wishes
James