So fantasy gives way to reality.

Monday again, nothing done all weekend on the car due to the kids the weather and feeling like death warmed only ever so slightly.

So back to work today and a shock to the system that was! up at 03:30 and down to work on a refinery for the best part of the day, hot sticky uncomfortable work.

even so the day ended at a reasonable time and I even managed to get home at a reasonable time.

Planning to get on with the kit this evening was fruitless, first off the Mondeo had a flat tyre and a dent in the wheel rim, im hoping that the flat tyre was down to the dent in the rim seeping air.

so after a gentle realignment using the magic stick (IE copper mallet and drift) i pumped the tyre up and tomorrow will tell.

whilst moving the car i noticed the rear brakes didnt sound to good, so more inspection and eh voila rear brakes are worn out.

luckily being a clever cat I was prepared for this having brought new rear discs and pads when i replaced the fronts a month or so ago (ok im lazy not fitting them all at once)

so tonights kit time went on the mondeo, after all I cant have it breaking down on the way to gatwick airport friday!

cant wait to get on that big metal bird and fly off to the sun for 2 weeks!

So on the seventh day......... bugger its only friday - CUT

So today has been a total wipe out of a day it took me over an hour to get going when I finally woke at 13:30, I hate this being ill lark, Ive done nothing but sleep! so I ventured to Sainsburys for provisions again Ie more pain killers more lemsip and a bottle of brandy, I will kill this cold this weekend.

Got home to find the Caterham headlamps I won on ebay in a drunken bidding frenzy and paid far to much for are infact useless to me, ah well.

Back to work monday I feel bad about having been off for 3 days as it is, cant risk not getting better as im off on the big metal bird in 7 days.

Still no welding wire and my patience is wearing thin, I wanted the chassis at the powder coaters whilst Im away , thats definately not going to happen now.

Ah well at least if tomorrows nice me and the kids can just chillax

Soft Kitty,Warm Kitty, Little Ball of Furr........

For those of you who don't get it watch the big bang theory.

So Ive not been to work for 2 days now with this cough its absolutely murder! every time i move sneeze cough etc all my chest muscles scream to be put out of their misery!

So what have I been doing, sleeping is what! lots of it.

I have gotten a few kit related things done, on a foray into St Neots (local big town) for some more cough medicine I dropped my prop into Baily morris to get it altered so that will be ready for collection Monday.

I also dropped my tank into an aluminum welding place on the same industrial estate to get that altered for a "drink" IE £10 later and as long as it took me to get to the chemist and back it was done and leak free!!!!

one last job accomplished was the purchase of a length of 10mm ID mild steel tube for making my new alternator bracket, not feeling adventurous I have done no "actual" work to the car but still feel that progress has been made.

I have the terrors ermm I mean kids this weekend so no chance for a rest up then or even much chance of getting work on the kit done, we might have a go at measuring up the brake pipes and sit in the warm like the cripple I feel.

I should have KNOW better............

So I'm writing this from bed at 15:15 in the afternoon, "Why aren't you at work!" I hear you cry! steady now and I will explain all.

The answer to the above question is "Stupidity" IE Mine.

Let me elaborate for you, Monday came and went as Mondays have a habit of doing, nothing special about it other than taking a mate to Birmingham to collect his new car, In the rain and yes looking over it and getting soaked, OK so not clever but not enough stupidity to really explain the title other than no work getting done on the kit.

Tuesday comes along pretending to be a nice friendly day, I am lulled into a false sense of security by a nice early start for work almost ensures a good finish! and yes I'm home and working on the kit by 17:10 a small miracle!

so the new gearbox mounts are tacked on the engine and box removed and split with the flywheel and clutch being removed and the engine fitted to the stand, nothing hard here and no hard work thanks to my super duper roof mounted winch.

chassis is pushed outside and the floors swept, then blown over with the air line to get all the remaining swarf out and stop it burying itself in my knees on a daily basis!

so i decide hmmm cars outside why not chuck it up on its side and clean the engine mounts up without getting a face full of grinding sparks and hey its not windy so finish the welds whilst its there!

Nah, grinding goes fine, but the welder really doesn't want to play and i end up removing the 0.7KG roll of wire and slinging it so I'm welderless at the moment waiting for the 5KG roll and 0.8 tips I ordered yesterday to be delivered.

still noting to explain my stupidity, well avid reader read on and laugh as you may.....

So with the chassis back on its wheels and ready to push back into the lock up I decided to get the degreasing gun out! with some Gunk in it (neat of course) I fill the lock up with atomised degreaser thinking as soon as I have done it i should have worn a breathing mask, yes people I am sitting hear rattling and coughing like an 90 year old cigar tester who also worked as a coal miner for fun. so learn from my mistakes use a breathing mask if your using a degreaser gun!

oh it didn't stop me tho I washed all the degreaser off and used the air line to blow it clean.

so laugh while you may I'm going to sit here sounding like Mutley from the Wacky racers! I just hope I can breathe well enough to go back to work tomorrow.

Enjoy the pics

Its too quiet something must be wrong........

Ok so I know it's been a few days without an update but I've had a few problems getting online.

so now for some news,

Radiator is fitted! Yay! and I've trimmed the nose cone down to fit i just need to take the sanding drum on the Dremel to the cut edge to smooth it off.

I've also trimmed the scuttle to fit too! And the front bulk head panel has been trimmed to suit the scuttle.

Oh and Ive brought some new seats, I just need to collect them. oh and a set of Caterham headlamps, I know I've always planned to use Rush headlamps but they aren't IVA OK apparently so I will use these for IVA and then fit the Rush lamps when these *break*

So plan of attack for the next time I get some car time,

• Fit new brackets for gearbox

• Drill and fit Rivnuts for nosecone and scuttle and make load spreading washers for where the bolt passes through the GRP.

• Cut the head lamp brackets down to 120mm stalks and weld to chassis.

• construct alternator bracket and pipe up coolant system.

I think that's the way to head, oh enjoy the pics!

Radiation baby.......

Ok so today was a good day I managed to get home from work at a reasonable time and straight into the lock up!!!!

Ive been a naughty boy someone is going to have to spank me, with my holiday looming I took the decision that I NEEDED (that's a medical need) a second angle grinder, not because mine is dead, (well not yet) but because i spend forever changing from linishing disc to grinding discs, so £16 down B&Q (other DIY stores are available ;) ) however on my merry way to the check out I decided that checking the Dremels out was a good idea for when I come back from hols to start cutting my GRP.

Exit shop Carl - £130!!!! I brought a Dremel 4000 a pack of rubber clamps and the grinder. I'm a naughty boy.



Enough flirting! Today's progress was pleasing I arrived home to a nice big parcel containing my new rad !!! this meant I managed to weld all 4 rad brackets on !!! I also finished cleaning up 1 side of one engine mount bracket, lazy I know but I'm soon turning the chassis over and the rest will be easier to reach then!


Next plan is to tidy up again! place is looking like a sty and I'm having problems with the wire feed on my welder, that needs sorting before i throw it down the yard!