March

Wednesday 2-3-11

Went down to GBS and picked up some more bits owed to me and spent £202.16 on master cylinder and swirl pot and sundry items  There's not a lot in the box for that much !.  I decided that brakes SHOULD be new as I will be relying on them ! Other good news - gearbox is ready and £25 surcharge has been knocked off. Also Diff is in good condition and should come in around £120 mark - excellent ! Diff ratio appears to be 3.92, so higher revving and lower fuel economy . But higher acceleration ! Pedal box covers left with GBS - They agreed that they really *don't* fit.

Thursday 3-3-11

Only cleaned and painted steering rack fixing brackets.  Looked for steering column bush - could NOT find it anywhere which annoyed me !  So I must get on Saturday the following: Steering bush, replacement bolts for suspension, aluminium plate to bolt swirl pot onto  (ask for some to be cut to shape?). Also managed to get top ball joint IVA covers on, which proved a right hassle ! Installed the master brake cylinder.

Friday 4-3-11

Need another track rod end cover as I managed to screw the last one up while fitting. Also need a 10mm 1mm pitch nyloc for track rod end ball joints as these are metric fine, not the standard sizes.  MORE M10 nut covers. IVA padding on upper front wishbone upper mount done. IVA nut covers part done, off side front needs 2 more. Steering rack in - needs M10 and M8 nylocs. Steering column parts separated and inspected ready for painting.

Saturday 5-3-11

GBS open day - well attended. Bought dipstick and tube - £31 !   Also got some more nut covers and track rod cover.  Got some more washers for front suspension. Not bought enough for the differential though.  Need tube or other washers 12mm ? Took some more photos of demonstration cars. Now test fit of steering hubs and cycle brackets.

Sunday 6-3-11

No work on car. Took photos instead.

Monday 7-3-11

Front suspension and steering rack - final fixing. Need yet MORE M12 Nut covers !  Note :- cover edge of cycle wing with IVA cover.  Final grind down to 0.1mm of bush length. Perfect fit.  Tried a tyre for photos. Updated web site photo diary. Rang Atom about the Differential. They will get back to me when it's ready.

Tuesday 8-3-11

Near side rear suspension fixed in place. off side rear suspension almost ready to fix. Run out of penny washers again - need yet more penny washers (10mm id 25mm od?) Both half shafts fitted in place temporarily. Noticed that one wheel is discoloured and some balance weights have dropped off.  That's Not Good - which wheel are they from? Bought gearbox £300 - need release arm and thrust bearing though ! (I eventually managed to get the odd coloured wheel exchanged.)

Wednesday 9-3-11

Spent most of the day measuring and fitting passenger tunnel side front and read and bending to shape. Discovered I had not allowed 8mm for brake disc. Tried disc and caliper and wheel.  Looks good. Bought some more penny washers. I have now successfully lost the 2 short brake pipes and the steering bush. I have no idea where I put either !

Thursday 10-3-11

No work on car. Built a car crawler for approx £8. Bought a parts box for £9 for all the nuts and bolts I bought from Bapps, (A large bargain Bag 'o Bolts).  Found missing steering bush and brake pipes at last !

Saturday 12-3-11

Finished drilling holes in panels. Also drilled and prepared holes for swirl pot.  Have removed all panels ready for painting before fitting.  Now waiting on Differential and front brakes.

Monday 14-3-11

Final fixing of off side rear suspension.  Painting of panels and hammerite of brake calipers. Do NOT try and paint lacquer with a brush, it doesn't work !

Tuesday 15-3-11

Re-sprayed swirl pot bracket and lacquered it.  Wonder if steering column crack will be important?

Wednesday 16-3-11

No work on car - built a foam archery boss instead !

Thursday 17-3-11

No work on car.  Still waiting for the differential. Info - pick up Diff on Saturday.

Saturday 19-3-11

No work on car. Picked up Diff £150 and fuel bits etc £147.

Sunday 20-3-11

Painted prop end of diff with hammerite black.

Monday 21-3-11

Test fit of differential.  Very hard to fit.  Pulley blocks not turned up (an idea to help lift the diff into place - did not eventually use them anyway!). Cut tubes to fit and painted them.

Tuesday 22-3-11

Discovered tubes not good enough - need bigger diameter So cut two more and silicone rubber bonded two parts - others should be ok.

Wednesday 23-3-11

Finally fitted Diff, half shafts, calipers and discs. Handbrake connected (though doesn't work? D'oh - of course not. It needs to have brake fluid for proper operation !). Also sealed the underside and four foot well panels and seat back.Need to threadlock the bolts that go into the calipers as these cannot have nyloc nuts on them. First MILESTONE - On its wheels at last !
 

Thursday 24-3-11

No work on car.  Checking out where brake pipes go.

Sunday 27-3-11

Laid chassis loom in the car.  Installed temp steering column 

Monday 28-3-11

Laid in fuel pipes red and black.  Car back on axle stands.  Rerouted handbrake cable and fixed connectors for fuel pump.

Tuesday 29-3-11

Got a delivery from CBS £121

Wednesday 30-3-11

MUST DO - Refit cover on brake pipe OR attach brake pipe to stop anything getting in. Attached fuel swirl pot and high pressure pump. Fixed more P clips to brake pipes. Cut slot in rear to allow fuel tank to fit better. Welded spacers and trimmed inner tube to fit clutch and brake pedals. Also fixed seat adjusters to drivers seat.

Thursday 31-3-11

Found cheap sandblast kit £9.99 - well it works - sort of . Sandblasted the old coat of paint off the gearbox in the greenhouse and a tarpaulin to catch the "sand" supplied.  Makes a HUGE mess afterwards . Also repainted gearbox in new black paint which looks better than the old black paint. Also fixed hand brake routing on the off side rear wheel. Tightened brake lines on rear part of car.  Tidied up (a bit) Also bought a cut off tool £6.99 from ALDI.