Tempus Fugit..........

Ok So I know the literal translation is time flees but stop being so picky!

I know its also been a week since my last update, I've been busy so I think you will forgive me.

On my last update I had just a bare chassis with front suspension in situ.

Since then I have undertaken the following,

Permently Rivet fuel line and brake lines.

Fit Steering Colum bearing.

Fit Steering Colum and extension shaft.

Fit Steering Rack.

Fit Engine

Fit Gear Box

Fit Prop

Fit Differntial.

Fit rear suspension and wishbones but not uprights as these have gone back to Saturn for modification.

Fit Radiator

Fit Headlamps

Trial fit scuttle and bulkhead with nose cone and bonnet, doing so I discovered that my poistion for the scuttle was to far rearwards and needed bringing forward otherwise my bonnet will be too short!

Brrrrrrrmmmmmmmm bbbbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmm bbbbbbrrrrrrrrmmmmmm

What a difference a day (or five) makes......

Ok so its been five days since my last update, as well pretty much nothing has happened.

Well that's no entirely true,

The Diff has been painted and ratio identified as a 3.92.

The driveshafts have been reconditioned with new grease and new boots utilising steel boot clamps as opposed to cable ties.

The rear hubs have been painted and reconditioned with new bearings races and seal then treated to a coat of paint.

So tonight there was no reason to procrastinate any longer, a small tidy up of the workshop and in went the diff.

Following this I then refitted the fuel tank and started to site the facet pump deciding on using the diagonal brace for the tank support, two rivnuts and a couple of stainless M6 button heads later.

Of course this allows me to get a nice smooth bend on my fuel hose, I'm thinking of replacing the rubber bend with a copper one but i want to get some feedback from the lads on the haynes forum before I do.

Next was getting the fuel line up to the top of the diff i think the pictures show the route Ive taken well enough.



Being unsure of the IVA requirement for security of fuel and brake lines Ive secured them every 180MM using rubber lined stainless P clips and plan to use the same holes to run the brake line parallel in the same fashion.

Minor Update

So Saturday has been quiet so far, the sproglets and I took a jaunt down to see Alan at Premier wiring to collect my wiring loom. Not only did we come away with a top notch wiring loom we also purchased battery cables earth bond cable and rear fog and reverse lamps.

Once we got home i fired up the compressor and shot blasted the rear bearing carriers before giving them a couple of coats of primer. I'll let that set and then give them a couple of coats of top coat ready for the new bearings next week.

Ive also bent over one end of the Ali strip I'm going to be running down the transmission tunnel and into the engine bay and clamped it in place ready to start running the fuel and brake like down. I'm planning to do the same on the other side for the wiring loom.

Lets hope tomorrow brings a quiet day I want to have a tidy up again and move the parts racking into the other lock up and try to get the workbench to fit over the compressor to give me a worktop.

Strapping.....

So thats both fuel tank straps completed, internal edges lined with foam backed tape, chassis lined with rubber, rear tank straps mounted via rivets to the chassis and the other sides secured via the riv nuts mentioned in the last post.

I then started to removed the remaining driveshaft from the rear diff, only to break another couple of TX40 bits, time to buy a propane torch and get some heat on them, as I want to get the diff mounted so I can run the fuel line and mount the pump.

today was semi productive on the kit car front, I got a gas bottle for the welder finally and collected a lightened flywheel to let the pinto rev easier.

Im hoping that the weekend will be quiet so that I can get the shot blasting done on the rear hubs ready to take them to a mates monday to get the new bearing races pressed in. and if i can get the drive shafts off new cv boots too!

Burn Baby Burn Garage Inferno.......

Ok So I've had a bit of luck for a change! I managed to pick up a non working large diesel space heater.

Got it home, repaired a broken wire, cleaned the shite out of the tank and cleaned the filter and ignition plug, unblocked the injector nozzle put it all back together an voila - a working heater for the workshop and for next to nothing!

So with this in place and a little help from a mate to lift the chassis back onto the tressells before carrying on to grind the welds clean and give them a nice coat of paint.

I then decided to work back forwards with regardst to getting the fuel system sorted, Ive glued rubber matting to the chassis where the tank sits to stop it rubbing.

Then I drilled and inserted 2 Rivnuts into the back of the chassis to hold the tank straps, im planning to rivet the back of them to the chassis.

whilst I was doing this my mate was helping out by reinstalling the pedal box and master cylinder along with the front brake lines (secured with clecos for now) I did notice that I need to cut a small "slot" into the clutch pedal to allow for fitment of the clutch cable without removing the soldered nipple.

Itchy & Scratchy!

Ok I know its been a month since I last wrote a blog entry a fair bit has happened which I will now endeavour to bring you up to date with.

I did managed to get the chassis painted as planned and it looked gorgeous! then I decided that I would start a trial fitting of the GRP.

Good plan, I discovered that the rear semi-circular plates needed to be removed.

Enter me with plasma cutter and 20 minutes later there off. From here things get a little awkward.

I start to weld up the various little nicks in the chassis where I cut the plates from and run out of

gas, not a major issue except i need to get a "proper" bottle to replace my helium bottle. this is still not done.

So I ended up borrowing my land lords welder, welding up what I needed to.

After fitting the rear end I decided to tackle the side panels, not to much of a task but one requiring me to constantly badger Andy @ Saturn sports cars, Thanks Andy!

So as I sit now the pair of side panels and the rear tub have been mock fitted along with the nose cone complete with radiator in situ. they have all been removed now for final "fettling" rounding off the corners etc.

the rear tub will of course require more mods including the holes for the suspension to come thru but i plan to do this when i finally fit it as i dont really want the weakened panel sitting about.

A little road trip this weekend took me down to see AshG and purchase a Megajolt from him. nice guy.

Then over to see Alan at premier wiring systems and placed an order for a full wiring loom.

A couple of peeks onto eBay has seen me the owner of a new set of alloys that clear my front brakes! and a set of caterham rear lights.

Enjoy the piccies.