And Where Have You Been All This Time??????

OK I know i was trying to keep this blog pretty up to date and it seems to have been fits and starts, well that's more because it "Has" been fits and starts with the build.

New toy section this month sees the addition of a boxford TUD lathe to the workshop, an amazing little tool that is proving useful for everything other than getting on with the build.

I have however to the report that the Dremel I brought is MIA presumed killed, Aka I burnt it out. so I'm looking to get that repaired ATM.

As for the car well I haven't really done alot since the last update, the Cossie Discs and calipers have been refitted along with the 15 inch wheels, the 17's are going back on eBay there just too big.

I have also decided to replace the dash, so instead of the sierra clocks I will be using an AceWell Digital Dash, the 7659 In fact I collected it today and its adorable :P~

To days efforts have centered around completing the rear brake lines, and wiring, all of which is now done even with the fuel sender fitted and earthed! Pictures to follow tomorrow.


Tomorrows Plan is to continue with the wiring, starting off with the fitting of the Speed sensor for the new dash, my plan is to drill and tap the Lobro on the rear drive shaft before loctiting the magnet in and mounting the sensor on a bracket attached to the rear upright. sounds easy eh.

After this the wiring will have to be run up the tranny tunnel, along with the wiring for the reverse sensor.

once these are done I will endeavour to mount the actual dash and wire it up, followed by the Fog light switch before reinstalling the steering column and column switch gear.

this isn't as easy as it sounds as the loom has been made for the standard sierra clocks and requires a fairly extensive modification to the dash area wiring to suit the new dash however i believe it is a modification well worth the effort.

who knows I might just get all that done.

The longer you leave things the harder it gets....... like cheese.

Ok so first off appologies for the lack of a blog for that last month(ish) I know some of you will have been tearing your hair out in anticipation of this update thinking wow its been a month we must see some huge changes to the build, no not huge monsterous!

well no and you can blame some of it on joining a gym (ok stop laughin, no seriously get off the floor and wipe your face!) and some of it on these two urcins in the pic below, (daddy can we sit in the car!!)

And the fact is i dont even have a clever excuse for my absence its been sheer laziness on my part.

So there.

Big news to start, I have finally replaced my ailing welder witha 185A Draper jobbie thats the mutts danglers! so no more kicking the siegen unit around the workshop because the wire feed is playing up. Ive also begger dad to get hold of some bags of sillica for me, uknow the stuff u get in little bags that says "Do not eat" etc etc on it well thats a dessica (drying) agent and im going to pop a couple of Ilbs of it into my welder to keep it tickety boo.

Other big news, compressor is playing up, i think there is water in the reciver but havent had to time to take it out and drain it.

Ok so onto the car!

since the last time we spoke I have become the proud (eh??) owner of a set of 4 pot wilwood brakes to go up front, these should make it stop nice :) Ive also got it back on all 4 wheels with the rear brakes fitted.

I have run the wiring down the transmission tunnel and stated to split it into its sperate conduits for the 4/5 rear applications.

The wiring in the engine bay is 95% Complete and in conduit and looking snazzy.

I now have all the fittings needed for the cooling system and will be proceeding with that post haste.

AND !!!! The side panels are fitted! Yay I hear you cry aloud, however i still need to trim up the areas around the wishbones and steering arms before fitting trim to it, i didnt take into account the space for the actuall rubber trim so everything fouls.

The Rear brakes a done, well almost i construted supports for it to carry it over the diff and down the car before running up to the bracketry for the rear flexis but havent finished the n/s yet.

More bodywork! The nost cone and scuttle are mounted!

You know what just enjoy The picture and I will endevour to keep this blog up to date.

A mistake is just another way of doing things!

Okay so its been 10 days since my last update.

I have however been busy, you will of course remember my stint on ebay, the silicone hose i ordered was good quality and fitted nicely and the "meter" i ordered of each was generous.
I need to make some brackets and get some bigger p clips for the 8mm ID silicone hose.

I didnt order everything i needed so another stint was required and has been done, im waiting for the last of it to arrive, then i can figure out how to get the bottom rad hose past the fan belt!


moving to the back of the car i started to fit the uprights, and discovered that i had fitted them on the wrong side after a posting on the haynes forum big love to Ronnie for noticing it.

So onwards with fitting the uprights, ermmm nope the RU7 and RU8 plates are 180 degrees out.
so now waiting for replacements from saturn. due next week.

Ive also fitted the trigger wheel and hall effect sensor for the mega jolt and downloaded the software and now big love to AshG for posting me the lead so i can plug in to it.

lots of love floating about this post.

after a little work the earth bond is fitted between the gearbox and chassis.

White dial kit is fitted to the speedo head and the ali is cut for the seat back panel.
wiring is run down the transmission tunnel and p clipped. now to get to screwfix for some m6 self drilling/tapping screw and cable tie bases

enjoy the new pics.

Yeah Well You Can Argue Anything With Facts Mate.......

Ok so some more work done since the last time

But not alot.

Removed the trigger wheel from the spacer drill out the broken dowel and refit ready for fitting to the pinto.

A little research with the guys from Locostbuilders confirms that 3 point harnesses are out, however a short conversation with Matt at CBS has arranged to return the 3 points and replace them with 4 points.

Grand fellas.

Ive managed to source a new liner for the welder and it was feeding better until i decided to tap the wire feed bearing with a screw driver, which killed it. so I now need to order a new one.

Fandabbydosey.

7/16 UNF seat belt bolts sourced. to be ordered Friday.

a brief stint on eBay has sourced a fuel filler for £45 and a cheap supplier of Silicon hoses. just need to figure out the ones I need.


Until next time...

Slowly Slowly Catchy Monkey

Not much progress last weekend, well none in fact.
Work was manic so the roadster had to take a back burner but Im not on call this week so its full steam ahead.

Only an hour last night but a productive one I feel, I fitted the rubber/foam cushion from CBS to the edges of the nosecone and scuttle, I wasnt impressed with the adhesive on it so i used some spray glue to augment it, then clamped it in place for 10 mins for so to allow it to cure.

This Done I proceeded to trim and fit the bonnet and finalise the nose cone and scuttle mountings which now have nice m6 Rivnuts in them, I am however slightly concerned that the holes in the scuttle are a little close to the inner edge but I will take a look at this tonight when i removed the scuttle to trim some aluminum for the dash panel.

Until Next Time Viewers

Stay Vigilant.

Happy New Year - What do you mean its the 14th!

Sorry for the delay in an update I'm sure lots of you were sitting with baited breath waiting for my words.

So whats occured, I have broken the wire speed control on my welder, tried to be a clever sod and solder a new speed pot to it only to discover it didn't help, £69 later and a new PCB is sitting in my kitchen waiting to be fitted (only arrived yesterday)

My parts from 3GE have arrived for my top harness mounts and in preparation to fit them i discovered that my 3 point harness may no longer be IVA safe! so were watching this space atm to see if another £100 needs spending on harnesses or if I can sweet talk CBS into allowing me to return them.

what else, hmmmm Ive fitted the 40 Dcoe webbers and discovered to avoid cutting the bonnet I will indeed need t fit some trumpets as opposed the the currently fitted filters.
Oh and as per usual fitting them was no straight forward job either as a part of the linkage was too short for the manifold and had to be replaced at the great cost of £12, thanks to Steve at Northampton motor sport for sourcing that 'orrible little part for me.

Due to a nice little cheque from the IRS I have placed an order with SSC for my cycle wing stays and interior aluminum panels.

Ive spend £42 on rubber edging trim from the bonnet, cycle wings, and panel holes from CBS, good quality stuff too and super fast delivery.

and a sheet of 2mx1mx1.5mm alu has been ordered for the rear panel, this should arrive next Friday with any luck.

another £12 went on a coolant switch for the rad fan. these little bits really do add up.

New rear up rights have arrived and been duly painted, but i think I may have damaged a CV joint so more on that next update,


Plans for this weekend are as follows:

Repair welder, tackweld M8 washers every 80mm down the transmission tunnel for the wiring loom to be secured to.
paint said washers, finalise position of scuttle by fitting rubber trim to nose and scuttle then temp fitting bonnet. secure scuttle with 4 rivnuts.
remove damaged driveshaft and inspect.
make up brake pipe for rear
fit from brakes
fit rear brakes


however the reality of it is that I'm on call this weekend so I doubt more than 1 or two small jobs will be completed.

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