:D

Well fingers crossed we should be making it to Stoneleigh over the weekend - its a fair distance for the old girl but having checked and changed almost all the serviceable items I can think of.

Plugs
Points
Condensor

Topped up all the fluids

Gearbox
Final drive
Engine
Radiator
Battery
Windscreen washer
Brake resevoir

Greased and lubed the service points

Trunnions
Propshaft UJ's
Prop sliding joint

A bit of wiring to sort out the cooling fan system to make sure its up to scratch.

And dug out the domestic fire extinguisher -


Wet weather gear is sorted

A tip on this for S1/S2 owners - the screen surround is quite small on these cars and there is not much room once 6mm laminate is inserted for the hood to fit in. firstly use the hacksaw blade method - these are thin springy and do not kink - also two blade means the edge can fold making the hood easier to store. next get some sandpaper/wet and dry and smooth off the pocket the blades sit in to make it thinner - basically sand it down until all the vinyl grain is flat.

There is not much to do with the fact that the roof balloons off at speed because that a fault in the design of the roof not having a connection to the centre support strut - I am working on that via velco and some decent contact adhesive

Other jobs completed

Fitted some air filters - modified the bonnet to suit - the car looks like it never had air filters fitted - so heaven knows what condition the bores are in - might explain the oil consumption though 500ml / 100 miles - ah must remeber to pack a litre for the trip ;)

The roll bar has been given a lick of paint as has the fuel tank/ battery mounting frame I installed in the boot - The back of the car is now basically just a decorative shell - yes open the boot lid and there are your shoes :blink:

A working tacho has been zip tied into the c0ckpit (got round it I hope) but I still have the garden chair cushion seats for the time being - Hopefully pick up some foam and perforated vinyl at stoneleigh together with some carpet and edging vinyl so that I can complete the interior.

The ally side panels have been given another polish - a bit much on the passenger side as its coming up mirror and reminds me of a Robin Hood - heaven forbid by pride and joy gets confused with one of those.

Just to divert for a minute - what is it that Robin Hoods and Vindicators and Locust - thats Cust not Cost seem to go for more money than a Pheaton - they are rubbish - Phaetons of all models are far superior. - It cannot be that they look more like a Lotus 7, surely. This also provides a dilemma for me as I want to have the cake and eat it - Pheaton being respected as a capable sports car and with values to match £2000-3000 for a good 1600 car but I also want to pay <£1000 for a V8 S1 :D

I have tightend up the side mirror to stop it falling about all over the place - now nice a secure but only has a view of the rear wing :unsure:

Placed a bit of finishing trim around the bonnet to cap off the glass fibre edge.

Changed and moved the hand brake lever assembly - On the S1 the handbrake is on the side of the tunnel quite low down - it is a lever from an MG I think - anyone need one I have two - in Chrome. - over any sort of bump the axle flange connection bolts would connect the lever - beleive me it wakes you up :o - a change to a lighter :) and smaller escort 2 handbrake on top of the tunnel not only took the linkage 3" higher and out of the way of the prop the cable run for the atlas handbrake stopped rubbing on the side of the tub and the whole operation is now much smoother. Now totally quite over the worst bumps fully laden with peeps and fuel etc.

Before Sunday I may give the steering wheel a polish and try and make up a gaitor to hide the switchgear on the steering column - give the wheels a quick polish up - tidy the dash a little (unlikley) - add a few more rivets to the side panels

That will be enough

On the S3

I have fitted steering column and moved the pedal box assembly. I have cleaned up the Capri struts in the electrolytic cleaning bath - see NKCC or Locost forums for info on that little gem - but thats about it

On the S4

Nothing - really must get act together on this one and get moving

Well please come and say hello over the weekend - I will be on the NKCC stand - and the car will be looking like the one in the gallery - With the hood up to a) keep the rain out or B) to hide the cr@ppy interior.

Cheers

Andrew

My Stoneleigh prep usually involves giving the cars their annual polish, but it's tipping down outside today so I can't even do that this year!
The Hurricane will be parked with the Hurricanes (wherever they might be this year, no-one booked anything!)
The Quantum will be with the Quantums and myself, Aly and Ellie will mostly be around the DOC tent counting the leaks in the canvass and drinking coffee. Come and say hello, we will be there from Saturday afternoon untill Monday evening.

<_<

Cr@p - just went to town to fill the car up with leaded 4 star as a treat - £1,08 a litre it aint gonna see it very often.

On the way the traffic built up and the car got warm whilst diving the clutch got lighter and lighter - very light infact - the clutch is normally pretty heavy - in the end the clutch started slipping - its almost like the slave is not returning and the master just kept pumping up the pressure. Its a strange one that will have to be looked at before I off to the show thats for sure.

Oh well back to the garage :(

Andrew

Rotten luck Andy, and things like that always happen before a show or, wore even, before an MOT! Hope you manage to sort it out before Sunday.
I've been using leaded 4-star in the Hurricane for a while now and I find the performance benifits outweigh the cost- I think the 'pence per mile' is less than using unleaded + additive and the car performs much better. £1.08 is a bit steep though, I think the most I've paid is £1.05 but I normally pay 98p per litre.
Hope to see you at the show, it's high time I managed to put a face to a name!

Phil

:(

Unfortunately no smilie balling his eyes out is available - looks like the box has to come off - not an easy task at all - there is no room at all to move anything any further than about 3/4"

It looks like the clutch release arm is well stuffed and only way to repair is to remove box from engine.

by all accounts its common for the pivot to punch its way through the arm or for the release arm fork pads to fall off or something like that - I dont have a manual for this part of the car and connot find a decent pickie on the web.

Oh well if I make it I make it but if parts are needed - it aint gonna happen.

Andrew.

A bit miffed :(

:(

5 hours graft and the offending part has been removed fixed and is back where it should be. :D

Now I have to rebuild the car :blink:

Gearbox has come come out via the c0ckpit space so you can imagine the work - also had to remove part of the bulk head and parts of the ally side panels :angry:

Clutch actuator fork was well and truely broken needed welding in two places and straightening.

Now for the hard work

Andrew

May make Monday at least

So another Stoneleigh has been and gone, that must mean it's almost summer!
In spite of the weather there was a good turnout on both days, Sunday being the best I think. The Quantum Owners Club had around 50 cars on Sunday and about 30 on Monday, the DOC had I think around 30 cars on both days (we'll probably get the numbers in the next mag) even the Hurricanes managed 7 on Sunday and at least 3 on Monday!!
Monday started with rain- lots of it, but it cleared into a fine spring day, even feeling warm at times! I only had a quick wander around the halls and spent most of the weekend talking to people, walking the geat distance between the DOC, the Quantum Owners and the Hurricanes and running around after Ellie- She's 2 1/2 now and has her own club top to wear in case she gets lost at a show, she calls the logo 'squashed horsey' (Now who could have taught her that? :D )
Not sure if I'll get to any other kit shows this year so roll on next year!!

Phil