Aaarrrghhhhh. Couldn't think of anything better!!!

Right, what's happened in the fortnight since the last post....

Well, I think mechanically (engine at least) we're nearly there. I ran the engine this afternoon for a while and apart from a very very slight leak from a turbo union and a melted wire which had been touching a turbo all was well.

Need to connect the fan to the ecu and I nearly fitted the sidepanels but because of the wire prob, think some heat shielding may occur first....

The bonnet is nearly finished, but I have alittle prob, in that the people that supplied the paint before, no longer supply!!!. I have a bit of red left over, so will do the nose with that and the bonnet in matt black for the moment.

I was planning on having proper "tintop" style bonnet catches, but am now thinking traditional over centre catches are what I'm going to be time limited to, but hey ho!

Here's a pic of the car as it was this afternoon, though I subsequently managed to do about 4" of welding (out of about 40!), but it's a start...

I was also hoping to have more traditional headlight mountings, but I've been got by the inability of having the lights close enough, and being able to open the bonnet. Wider wishbones are required but not poss just yet.

Looking good, hey!

Anyway, here's pic with some lights!!!

The white bits are body filler.

And here's the vid.

Anyway, I'm going to look for some heat shielding, and maybe think about a rehash of the underbonnet wiring!

Hopefully in the next post, the car will be "finished". Why quotes, I hear you say. Well, you build a car and see if it's ever finished:), and the one after, will be it on the rolling road and maybe, just maybe, on the road itself. How exciting's that.

Till then, then!

Mapping getting closer and closer

In the fortnight since the last post, I seem to have been busy, but not achieving much - hopefully all these little jobs I seem to be doing will gel, and I'll suddenly have a finished car:)

I got the Innovate thingy and welded the boss into the exhaust, but have decided to order another boss/bung for the other exhaust, so that should be with me tomorrow or Wednesday, hopefully. Then I can weld that in by the weekend, which will mean that the engine compartment side panels can be properly fixed on and the brakes can be reconnected. I've already refilled the cooling system. Then tighten a couple of sump screws as I have a leak from gasket, then on with sump guard.

I've nearly finished attaching the nearside exhaust to the rear hanger bracket. Well the hanger bracket is now bolted up, so need to drill a bit of plate, cut to size and screw together.

Most time is being spent on the front hoop trying to get the chassis mods, alright couple of bits of 5mm plate welded into place, which should happen this weekend, if not sooner. Then I can paint them and the lower half of the hoop. Then weld in the top bars and paint rest of hoop etc.

You may have noticed that there is a certain urgency all of a sudden. Well, car was booked in towards end of October for mapping. When I booked the session, I foolishly asked if they had a cancellation queue and could I go on it.

Today, I got the call I didn't want have offering me a date three weeks earlier than planned so yes, now there's a rush.

Once all the above jobs are done, it's just a matter of finishing the bonnet (2 - 3 hours), so in theory, we should be ok.

Anyway, best be off. More this weekend (with pictures!!) if plans come together.

Till then.

Been away, back to play!

Peeps,

Guess what? I had another holiday, this time down to (not damp but) definately dreary Devon.

Been going for many years and the weather's never been great, and the same could be said this year. Did manage to spend a couple of days on an overcast beach. Even went in the sea, which was nice (after I'd been in for a couple of minutes at least).

Anyway, as I've been away, I've obviously not done much to the car - apart fom purchasing and installing a turbo boost gauge!!!!!. I'm still on a bit of a high getting the comms problem sorted out.

This evening, I ordered an Innovate LC1 wideband Lambda sensor/controller thingy which I'm hoping will be here in a couple of days, then I can weld the bung into one of the exhausts (I know I should do them both, and I may yet!).

Naturally that means I can start trying to map my engine at home, but (big news!!!) I booked up with Emerald to get the car on their full mapping rolling road session which happens late next month. Exciting times ahead.

So, next, I need to finish tidying up the car (finish bonnet) and double checking all the wiring, plumbing, nuts and bolts as I want the day to go smoothly! Don't want any leaks or electrical gremlins on the day. If I can map to half sensible, I may drive around the block a few times.

Going to look at a boat tomorrow, and may take it for a test sail on Sunday, so maybe slow progress, but I'll try hard. A lot to do in seven weeks.

Hopefully pics of turbo gauge, Lambda installation, refitted side panels, reconnected brakes and a very nearly finished bonnet this weekend.

Till then.....