1446 replies to this topic

[Deathrow]

That blokes a nutter!!!

John

[The Matt]

I've done some work on her!

Trial fitted front end and trimmed it a bit better





She's looking a bit more mini-esque than this time last week!

Next I've got to...

Drop the subframe and engine out,
Finish off the Vauxhall frame with the engine mounts,
Offer the new frame up to the car and make sure it all fits as it should,
Rebuild the engine to give it a bit more brooom brooom,
Finish off a lot of bodywork,
Do the final fit on the roll cage,
Buy some seats,
Buy a digi-dash,
Carpet out all of the rear,
Decide on whether to use an MPi fuel tank or go with my custom one,
Fit out all the fuel lines,
Make or buy new pedal box,
Fit new brake lines,
Set everything up.

[Broomer]

So it will be finished by what, Friday?

[The Matt]

So it will be finished by what, Friday?

C'mon, be realistic, Sunday!

[Broomer]

Thought so, best of luck. Looks like a right monster.

[CharlieBrown]

Looks great Matt, nicely done!

[Deathrow]

This is what we like to see Matt, this is what we like to see!

Keep it up mate .

[The Matt]

Hmmm, I've been shopping again!

I got one of these:
http://www2.obp.uk.n...38d60222d308c7e

OOOOOH, and I spent some money with Allspeed too

Long story short. I realised that I didn't have the time to fabricate all of the bits I needed to fabricate meself, so I've given up on my frame for the time being and have gone for the all out Allspeed conversion, we ALL know it makes more sense than trying to make a frame and it means that it's given me time to focus on building the engine, shell, suspension and brakes properly! WWHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

[Juju]

Long story short. I realised that I didn't have the time to fabricate all of the bits I needed to fabricate meself, so I've given up on my frame for the time being and have gone for the all out Allspeed conversion, we ALL know it makes more sense than trying to make a frame and it means that it's given me time to focus on building the engine, shell, suspension and brakes properly! WWHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Thank Phuque for that!

Nice one, Marfyew!!!!

WWHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE indeed!!!

P.S. I like my new pedal box . Which one is the brake again? The one on the right?

[The Matt]

Yes Juju, you hold the left pedal down and press the right one as hard as you can. Then (after two or three seconds) you slide your left foot off the left pedal

Setting up the brake bias may be a little tricky. Need a remote adjuster in the dash really, so I can do it on the fly. But then that needs to be either hidden or removable for my MOT testing buddy!

Also, I maaaaaaaaay have a little engine related problem, so the 1598 C16XE, may become a little larger bore than before! Taking it to my engine builder mate today to get his opinion on the bore condition.

Might be a good chance to make the bottom end a little more tasty though!

[mini93]

Setting up the brake bias may be a little tricky. Need a remote adjuster in the dash really, so I can do it on the fly. But then that needs to be either hidden or removable for my MOT testing buddy!

are on dash adjustable bias illegal then? rather unusual, i doubt fair few people would know what it is, and doubt they would start fiddling with random knobs

[The Matt]

I think you're allowed in car bias adjustment, but it has to be out of driver's reach whilst driving. Or something stupid like that!

I do tend to fiddle with random knobs though, so I can understand why!

[mini93]

never touched mine while driving, on my friends rally car he forgot to adjust it prior to an event so was effectivly handbrake turning around every corner

[The Matt]

Oops!

I asked a mate of mine what they were like to set up, he said 'easy, just drive along and boot yer brakes. Keep fiddling til the back end isn't over cooking it and you're sorted!'

Ahh well, we'll have fun with that one then!

[The Matt]

Ok, so the 1598cc engine will now be a 1618ish. It's only got veeeeeeery slight scoring and apparently a re-hone would've been just about OK. But I've opted to go for standard oversize pistons (knowing that once it's run in, I've got other piston options in that size) and a set of ARP bolts. Crank needs new shells (just for the sake of it while we're in there really), but there's no need for a regrind apparently.

The crank rods worried me when I first took them apart. The mating faces looked really pitted, but my engine guy has told me that it's normal. Rather than the rods being machined in two pieces, they're machined as one, then bored/honed, then frozen as cold as a cold thing, then ultrasonically 'cracked'. It's apparently a common thing now. But I've never heard of it! Shows how out of touch I am!

So, the other thing was the head. Whilst the engine's in pieces, that'll have a rebuild and a little skim and Bob's yer Uncle!

It's mo' money, but it's money well spent IMO