Winter Projects

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by midgetman

It says on Twitter "from next round on" which sounds like a permanent ban.

Hey chaps, well off topic.... But in answer, there was a later statement with different wording, which is what David is referring to.

Wad'ya reckon, looks like Tango has a cracked head. It's between the main oil feed to camshaft and a small water gallery..... One of the bores doesn't look too good either (overheated) but I have a spare short engine which had rebuilt for the car when first raced. The problem with that engine was again the head, a repaired (was cracked) camshaft carrier / bearing caused poor oil pressure as it was not round anymore and pouring oil out....

So may be needing a head, but have a scrapper engine here which will take apart first, and see what that looks like. Bloody (old) alloy heads!

[Eric Falce]

Clearing off the top of my garage shelves, old instruction manuals, Fodern, Thames trader, D series, Volvo, Cummings NTK , Mercury outboard, BLMC Leyland, Detroit Diesel, crash including Lotus Elite( MK one that is) Elan, etc. Have you any idea who would be interested in them, they where used by me many years ago so they are not in prestene condition.

[delta]

Bring them along to the show Uncle Eric . We have auto jumble . Good excuse for you and Tim to come

[zefarelly]

Well I finally took my Tornado chassis to the fabricators for a few minor repairs and roll cage fab yesterday, Matthew took his and I moved a spare shared chassis and Simons as well . . . . there can't be many people on the planet who've seen 4 at one time, let alone carried the bloomin things. for a car chassis they are light though.

[Cliff Ryan]

Took my bike to the local bike shop today, who remembered refurbishing our Raleigh Chopper12 years ago

Front derailleur guide was bent, so he replaced it with a good secondhand one and levers were cobbled together from different sets, so he removed one of the stops & moved the other & it changes both front & rear cogs now. Gave the bike a once over & changed the Cotter pins as one was imperial & one metric all for £40

Short test ride yesterday, all seemed good, hopefully snow will clear up for a proper ride today.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Cliff Ryan

Took my bike to the local bike shop today, who remembered refurbishing our Raleigh Chopper12 years ago

Front derailleur guide was bent, so he replaced it with a good secondhand one and levers were cobbled together from different sets, so he removed one of the stops & moved the other & it changes both front & rear cogs now. Gave the bike a once over & changed the Cotter pins as one was imperial & one metric all for £40

Short test ride yesterday, all seemed good, hopefully snow will clear up for a proper ride today.

£40 Cliff?

Blimey. Round our way you could buy a new bike for that .... from some places ...... on the right day of their sales.

Given such a problem I would probably get my neighbour to look at it. Loooong time cycling person and runs 3 or 4 of his own bikes plus one for his wife. He's just turned 70 but still averages about 100 miles a week - quite possibly more and despite other interests. He's a quality fettler too. "Bodge" is not a word in his regular vocabulary.

A handy chap to have around - if only I used the bike these days.

[Mike Bell]

Unless you go to a chain (no pun intended) the hourly rate charged by most old skool bike shops is ridiculously low!

Typical how weather changes just at wrong moment, snow not very road bike friendly. I was all ready to get some miles on Gilbert's new CWP this weekend, but the roads are either ice or salt covered, which depending if near a school / councillor's residence or anywhere else.....

[Cliff Ryan]

Yes I thought £40 was cheap, agreed on the chain front, I try and avoid them as much as possible on all fronts.

I've & salt no good for classics, whilst I believe they should be used, you need to draw the line somewhere.

Hope all's well with you & the fleet.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Cliff Ryan

Hope all's well with you & the fleet.

There's now a big hole where Tango's engine used to reside, and heads, blocks etc scattered everywhere! The trick is now to finish up with one good lump back in......

Think will be OK without having to spend any dosh.

[Cliff Ryan]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Think will be OK without having to spend any dosh.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Hey chaps, well off topic.... But in answer, there was a later statement with different wording, which is what David is referring to.

Wad'ya reckon, looks like Tango has a cracked head. It's between the main oil feed to camshaft and a small water gallery..... One of the bores doesn't look too good either (overheated) but I have a spare short engine which had rebuilt for the car when first raced. The problem with that engine was again the head, a repaired (was cracked) camshaft carrier / bearing caused poor oil pressure as it was not round anymore and pouring oil out....

So may be needing a head, but have a scrapper engine here which will take apart first, and see what that looks like. Bloody (old) alloy heads!

Try PH Sportscars at Shardlow about 2 miles from Donington Park; usually have a fair few Porsche bits available. Not that great at answering the phone tbh but let me know and I can nip down there to ask them in person. I have had plenty of stuff off them over the years.

[Mike Bell]

Thanks Andy. I'll keep them in mind. Good news is that the car now has a healthy (from appearances anyway!) short engine back in place, so now have to tackle three heads lined up on the bench. Hopefully can make one functioning unit from them! Reckon biggest frustration will be setting valve clearances with those funny little wedge things.

[Mike Bell]

Touch wood haven't needed to go searching for any more parts to rebuild Tango's LT van derived lump. Having pulled the old scrapper engine apart, on examination the head proved to be amazingly good. Just got to finish re-seating valves, then can build up and fit. Oh, had to spend some money though- £5 odd for a new tub of grinding paste and stick! So long since last needed them, couldn't find others......

[Cliff Ryan]

Good news Mike

[andy97]

What is the plan for "Tango", Mike?

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by andy97

What is the plan for "Tango", Mike?

Ebay, most likely! Sadly I can't afford to have a shed full of cars not being used any more, so a few need moving on. Then I can get onto the projects still waiting for attention and money...

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Ebay, most likely! Sadly I can't afford to have a shed full of cars not being used any more, so a few need moving on. Then I can get onto the projects still waiting for attention and money...

I understand the issue only too well. I think I have done very well too get away with (so far) 3 X competition cars and the Quattro. I think I'm kidding myself if I think that Mrs 97 believes me when I say that they are investments, though!!!

To be fair the Quattro and the Escort might be in a small way! I keep telling her that it's better than the Stock Market or my Pension at the moment.

[andy97]

Mike, whilst you are working on Tango, id still be grateful for the photos of the modified refuelling pipe arrangements please.

Thanks
Andy

[Moosehead]

Decisions, decisions...

I'm in two minds which direction to go with my car -

1: To stay (or I should say get) competitive in the Swinging Sixties series I need to spend ££££'s on upgrading a lot of the main components, engine, gearbox, brakes etc.

2: Go AppK which will still mean spending ££££'s on engine, cage, fuel tank and a myriad of minor details plus shelling out £££ for a piece of paper.

I enjoy the S/Sixties series, its format and the CSCC who run it but I'd rather race on period tyres and obviously AppK cars have a wider range of events to choose from.

In an ideal world I'd get another shell and build an AppK car from the ground up and that may even be a more cost effective route.

I'm slowly going crazy trying to choose a route to take as theres positives and negatives to all options and now I'm down to my last bottle of beer!!

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Moosehead

Decisions, decisions...

I'm in two minds which direction to go with my car -

1: To stay (or I should say get) competitive in the Swinging Sixties series I need to spend ££££'s on upgrading a lot of the main components, engine, gearbox, brakes etc.

2: Go AppK which will still mean spending ££££'s on engine, cage, fuel tank and a myriad of minor details plus shelling out £££ for a piece of paper.

I enjoy the S/Sixties series, its format and the CSCC who run it but I'd rather race on period tyres and obviously AppK cars have a wider range of events to choose from.

In an ideal world I'd get another shell and build an AppK car from the ground up and that may even be a more cost effective route.

I'm slowly going crazy trying to choose a route to take as theres positives and negatives to all options and now I'm down to my last bottle of beer!!

I'll help you with your decision - Go and buy more beer...

[Mike Bell]

Agree- ditch the car and spend the money on booze.....

[Cliff Ryan]

Wayne, we should have a beer next week, after dry January & tax return deadline!

I may have an idea....

[Moosehead]

Originally Posted by Cliff Ryan

Wayne, we should have a beer next week, after dry January & tax return deadline!

I may have an idea....

LOL, I don't have to worry about dry January or tax returns but a beer and a chinwag sounds good

[Lancsbreaker]

Originally Posted by Cliff Ryan

Wayne, we should have a beer next week, after dry January & tax return deadline!

I may have an idea....

Smug mode......did our partnership and personal tax returns last night......I'm getting really ahead of the game.

Now for the VAT return......

[Mike Bell]

Not exactly smug zone here, but quietly happy after Tango fired up this afternoon. Was back together yesterday but wouldn't start. Battery had it, low fuel pressure, clutch cable unhooked from pedal, and suspicion that plug leads weren't pointing to correct cylinders!

Slept on it, and went back after lunch. Battery swapped, so that bit easy. Clutch pedal awkward to get at, but bit of bent wire came in useful. Low fuel pressure solved by putting some more petrol in. Firing order correct, but found timing mark on camshaft pulley referred to #4 rather than #1. Had to take cam cover off to check, which fortunately isn't too big a job.

After all that, the lump burst into life, sounding sweeter than all time have had the car. Typical, obviously trying to sway decision about selling..... One issue to sort, oil pressure too high. When I raced with the dud head (damaged cam bearing) I tweaked the pressure relief valve to compensate for the low pressure. Today the needle went off the end of the scale, so obviously can revert to standard! And the temperature gauge reads true for first time ever- turned out the by pass pipe the sender was fitted in didn't have any through flow, but a drill sorted that.....

To complete a happy afternoon, took Gilbert for first drive after the recent work. All fine, and diff silent. Result. Celebrated with a small beer.