All is well

The beast is well.

Finally fitted the oil cooler! 30psi idle, 50-60psi by 2000rpm depending on previous loading with 65-70peak (tuned relief)...It was thinning the oil out alot on motorway, tight engine, hard worked oil, now better.

Running well, but every fuel type seems to effect my jetting a touch! Need to stick 1 type...Tried some 5star leaded the other day £1.50 a litre...Ran like s***! Had to remap my ignition to give 3 deg more advance in the middle and low end as lead makes fuel much slower to ignite and reduce my jetting size a bit, most odd! The stuff stank...I had it running so well on Ultimate and VSP before I filled up, I was a bit narked 8-)

On optimax and vsp atm.

Hoping to bore out the spigot bush for the type 9 tomorrow and get some alloy for the rear mount plate...I want to get that fitted asap.

Ciao Jaguar

Its stripped to the bone, tub going off for a coat of jet black tomorrow...Back August...Plenty to do before then! Engine, suspension, restore everything, but I don't hang about though.

Be nice to have the space back.

Spits running so well I didn't pop the bonnet once today bar to show a few folks at the engineering shop...more baffled looks! I like it when its like this, cause I don't feel inclined to fiddle with it!

Busy day tomorrow by the look of it! Been a good week!

Bonjourno Beasto

Did a few rounds locally and put a few more miles on the car. Evidently running superbly I was in town behind traffic today doing 1200rpm in 4th gear (3.63 dff!!) smooth as! on the flat it'll pull anything from 1200rpm in top provided you don't rush the engine, you can't expect a race cam to throw you up the road from 20mph in a gear that will pull 130mph!! - just pottle.

I pottered along on fresh air in 4th gear! Got some insane mileage off a well under a gallon, I have never seen the guage move so little on tuned engine !! in a good 35miles the guage barely moved! Mega economy.

I picked up on a couple of areas on the ignition that could use adjustment I think made some small adjustments to my map and will try this on my way to Worcester tomorrow.

Also noted my pumps are delivering too much fuel, there is no lag and bit of a gurgle and got a rich fluff a couple of times decking it in first, 2nd, so I backed the nuts on the rods down/off two turns tonite...On this jetting the pumps are barely needed its very active, like my old engine you just need a tiny spurt on 35 pump jets for decking it from low rpm.

Added my final MAP reading pickup system....more blue hose! addictive!! its all blue now!

Overall the car is so damned great now. I have a few issues to sort but its rather good! That coming from a perfectionist - must be good! Really solid base I'll make microscopic adjustments from now on and give each time to compare results. Idle's a touch lumpy when it gets hot and not mixture related, by lumpy I mean it moves a bit 8-) not much.

I need to adjust the timing I think...

I note when the piddly alternator starts to draw current, when the fan comes on the engine smooths out alot...Basically without a fat alternator, water pump etc there is NO drag on the crank, so any roughness is magnified alot due to stripping all the power caining old stuff off...I am sure a go on my mates Co2 probe and fiddling with the timing on a laptop will get it good...

Also its running super cool which is a sign of it being really happy....in the afternoon today 72F ambient it was at constant 60C under low load on open road...I like it cool.

So I treated it to a tank of optimax and a bottle of millers, which it enjoyed alot! Smooths out a treat...needs 100 of the best octanes really...anything less is not optimal...Felt strong in cold air tonite...I chased a well prepped and modded Alfa something briefly, odd car, went well, he booted it hard but I pulled him in 8-)

Noted near J.Wolfe's that super was under a quid a litre! 9-10p cheaper than here, and 4 star at alot of garages and also 99-100 octane at some garages, bastards! we get screwed and have to put up with rats piss here. Rural wages and prices more expensive that city, boll**** to that!!

Somehow both my rear silencer bolts rattled out and the exhaust fell off, most odd, wondered what the hell had broken! Sounded like prop had come off...I had my tin snips with me, so i rolled down a hill till I saw a fence and removed me some wire, and got home! Only 200metres before this a huge bottle got wedged under the car I thought the valance had fallen off or something!! Oddness!

Type 9 box, lost the plot on my engine, regained control!

We'll the ignition was great low down but really ballsed up my jetting. I admit to be completely lost yesterday evening...1.2mm gaps made it go completely bad...

I was pleased with Wide Open power from the 6 tube but the cruise character wasn't good the 6 tube needs alot of plate angle to operate, where as the 7 will fire with no real angle at all, leads on from progression without opening the plates....6 tubes and the ignition made this much worse... I was about to park the car and forget about it for a bit...however today I went back to the 7 tubes which were a bit crap before.

I scored bigtime! 52 idle-7850.1 holder, 125 main-7tube 140 or 150 corrector works so bloody well now! I have got the engine back ! Infact it nearly matches my old engine for smooth as silk running. You would surely think it was fuel injected if you didnt know, its perfect. It's come back to me in a big way! Infact its so bloody good it could be passed off as a production car ! If you drove it you could probably not possibly be able to understand how a race cam can be so smooth at any rpm, it cruises with no effort from 1500rpm, no noticeable cam zone really bar climbing hills. Its SOOOOOOOOOO smooth!!

The engine is so good its pleasure to pull off and stick it in top as soon as possible and potter along, will pull off in 2nd. I was well pissed off yesterday!

Went back to Josh's original map on the ignition which works well, having never played 3D igniton its all a bit baffling!!!!!!! I'll learn, monkey see monkey do.

Had a good day at Combe! I spent most of the day by my car chatting to millions of people, I wasn't allowed or registered to display my car - but I parked in the porsche, ferrari and GT40 section anyway 8-) My car attracted alot of attention! People loved it...

Few Triumph folks there who were simply baffled by it I spent hours talking to people! didnt really bother watching on track...

Jigsaw were there, but Mark couldnt bring himself to even show any interest or even look at my car, he was parked only 20metres away! Oddness! Even after I buy a cage from him, I felt a bit narked about that actually what a prat!... Guess he releases I wont be buying any more kit he'd probably rather spend time waffling mindless crap to people who don't know better 8-)

I told everyone I saw to buy lightweight starter motors on ebay (Isuzu Trooper 2.6i, Bedford Midi van with Isuzu engine)..., lightweight alternators on ebay (search Denso) and giving all manner of tips for cheap upgrades and stuff, telling folks how to make gearboxes, diffs, 3D ignitions -what works and more important whats bolox....

I guess when Marks chair collapsed and he ended up on his arse on the deck more that made up for it...I even went over and spent a good 30minutes looking at and to him talking about his Le-Mans replica, but he seemed more interested in his telephone call about his new kitchen or something...Some folks are plain odd...!!

Maybe been reading my blog 8-)

Resorting a 2500 Spit they "assembled" on Wednesday, triple Webers and it runs like a piece of ****.

I said to my mate in Worcester after popping the bonnet that the car must run like a dog -that a right *anker must have put it together.............then I was informed who did it...followed by "ahhh" and he said he ran like a dog and gave me the owners number!.... He gets cars in all the time that are built by JRS and the owners are always asking for them to be sorted out, he tells them to take the bloody things back there!

So Combe Was a great day out! Good to meet Mad Mart and 2 Toledos. Cheers for the ticket!

Type 9 stuff.

Adaptor plate rear.

Adaptor plate front - might get some made?

Rear mount plate, its steel and weighs a TONNE, I gonna delay fitment till I can make a billet alloy one...some 8mm should do the job.

Stock clutch but with a different centre for Ford box....Always found stock clutchs ok...I am gentle on them...Firm but fair!

Funny prop, loads thinner and lighter than the Spitfire one! Counter the boxes extra mass... a bit?

The plug colour I had been hunting for, thats after 10miles using no more than 3000rpm, with plenty of town driving. Not bad for race cam -engine. 1.2mm gap. 0.048".

Couldnt be arsed waiting for my T pieces and tube to arrive to get MAP readings from all 4 cylinders , so I cut up some old clutch line and soldered up this beast! works well but its ugly as sin!

New toy, can take 3 sets of carbs at once, its a monster sonic washer! Ex Navy. Need some kick arse cleaning fluid now, self heating etc etc...with the right fluid it'll be amazing I think!!

Ciao Dissy

Resigned to History!

Lathed off Alloy dissy ped! Plate added and JB welded on...Baffle also underneath the plate...Yet to work out the overall weight saving...small one!

Sweet!

Best get to bed its 1am, off to Castle Combe at 6am!

3D MegaJolt very much alive!

Josh basically just got it fitted. I went round and tidied up the wiring in the engine bay tonight. Basically complete.

First impressions are GREAT, really happy! The computer map needs more advance at high TP and mid range and upper rpm ranges so I cannot conclude anything firm, i said to josh to make a safe map for now. I am a complete novice at this! Im a spring/weld the curve man!...

However on a 40mile run tonite there is a big difference to control of spark, smoothness, dissy -whip and lash during throttle and power transitions...Basicallly you can tell the timing isnt working off a chain, cam and drive gear, then a shaft...big change.

No slop and whip action...Feels very solid timing wise, its given a very clean and consistant feel, marked change its just lovely in on off throttle in traffic...Idles like a clock, plugs are cleaner and look great, multispark! Sure the exhaust emissions smell cleaner too.

The car is working very well indeed at cruise to 4000rpm with a gob more torque than before...and during light throttle action and moments between power and cruise its much smoother...Really noticeable effects!

Feels like a big HP change in some areas its storms along in 4th any rpm, even as low as 1500! (race cam!!)..When its tuned 100% I expect it to give a huge increase in torque during changing TPS (throttle positions) and give a big boost of flexblity. I had the best drive tonite since my old engine. For a race cam the engine is now VERY flexible and a complete and utter dobble to drive. It will be as good as any modern production car when I have finished with it!...At all RPM and TPS and loads.

Why did I wait 18months!!!?! Doh!

Basic final install.

Tomorrow I will hack off the top vertical section off the alloy dissy pedestal, grind it down to the bolting face and JB Weld a flat plate over the top with a baffle under it, I will add a pipe into this top plate and run this pipe to my catch tank as a case breather! Bye Bye Dissy! I am sick of you sorry!

Thats for sale, its full recon with 11 deg curve suited to TH5-Fast Road 89 cams etc on 1300 or 1500 engines...Also for sale is the Aldon 2 Ignitor unit and flamethrower coil, dogs do da's £175 new...The Magnecor leads are also for sale...This is a great dissy with a good curve for a mod'ed engines...Its the VERY best you will get from a dissy...email me davidpowell@clara.co.uk subject Spitfire Parts.

Crank Sensor. Note the Dipstick is bent to slot under the engine plate, its very solid! No springs needed

EDIS4 brain box and Zetec coil pack, coil pack mounted on two 1/4" UNF studs and some rubber underneath.

A coil pack, you don't need this model anything from a Ford with EDIS unit is good, I spied a smaller unit at the scrappies I may change to that? lighter!

The MAP (Manifold Air Pressure) sensor is fed from the manifolds, I didnt have enough T pieces or tube to finalise it, so its a not ideal atm, but seems ok?!

The MAP reading is best taken from all 4 barrels - 4 into 1 pipe from the manifolds, this gives best overall signal level balance and less up and down readings and no need to use restrictors to remove spikes.....I will get another T add more pipe (blue, i got a blue fetish I think!!) so thats a job that needs doing. The Dellortos on Alfa's use this tech also.

Ebay time. 2.39am! Doh...Best get to bed soon!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can also undertake this type of work- to this standard- to ANY car in the chassis'ed Triumph Range GT6, Spit, Herald. Give me a call!

Have you seen any cars like this one anywhere??! I haven't.

I am currently developing some interesting innovative products for the 4 banger engines and chassis to be released later this year with a new Website.

Detail attention and modern upgrades - innovations are my thing, bespoke kit! Bar a select bunch of traders - Canleys..Chris Witor, Karl Danridge - decent quality work is hard to find - I'd forget all "farmers" who don't get their hands dirty!

Only next week I am sorting a TR6 engined Spitfire for a guy in Worcester, he paid a company a vast sum for a carb fitments and engine tune - he is completely annoyed by the poor results- it runs terribly to put a smile on it, spitting, snarling, surging, pulsing, backfiring animal!! He's coming to me to get this work redone to a higher standard, inspection of the work carried out, made me laugh!! The car currently runs like a dog after the "expert" mauled it.

I'll put all the pieces of this puzzle? back together.

Dave - 07967186309 12-6pm....

3D ignition alive and well

Cheers Josh Bowler, working nicely. On a safe retarded map atm, need a serial cable i'll get in a mo and laptop, i'll whip the box out and remap it on my PC later....Works almost as well as my dissy out the box, impressed...! Excellent!

Megajolt Crank Sensor mount

Not the most elegant item, but it'll work fine, took long enough to make as it was all evening...5mm billet base...You can adjust it over 20degrees or more on the arch holes, bit excessive but why not...i'll JB weld if the thing up after Josh and I set to the static 10 deg BTDC test figure. Josh B should pop over Thursday and wire me up. He can do that -I'll work on the jag make tea and lunch!

Jag is basically completely stripped bar the rear axle...front susp and subframe might come off tomorrow as a lump. Engine is out! Beast.

Megajolt 3D ignition stuff

Got my Ford CVH 1990 onwards Magnecor leads today, just about a perfect fit 1inch shorter than the stock ones...best get on and make a crank sensor bracket and we are there, just about!

Oil cooler

Now the cooler is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO important, after only 30seconds at WOT power I can drop the pressure quite alot, have been keeping the runs short and only doing them with coolish oil, I can smoke the oil in under 2minutes I think using 7500, 10psi at idle from usual 20-22psi!!! As such I found another cooler today. Will adding the best oil I can find too at next change and getting as much wind on the cooler as possible!.....

Race Springs

So my 1990 or 91 TSSC champion springs are a wondeful! Ride is still ok and you can launch the car at corners and it barely moves, back needs lowering for sure but they are massive improvement on 330lbs, I never fitted the 480lbs...Car is working ok I think, well balanced you can power it out of corners on WOT in 2nd and only oversteers if you want to hold a tight line, let it run out it doesnt move! Can't want to get it on track and be proved wrong! Very stable.

Carb tuning possibly completed

So I moved to 32 chokes over the weekend, and it was pants. Back on 33mm tonite and its back on form, clear to 7600. Oddly I scored the best jetting result the very first night...To assure myself it was good I went back around on the jets and chokes and it needs 33mm. Oddly it doesnt even have more torque or anything on 32mm. Most odd, this is a weird engine, compared to its previous guise.

As I fought the 32 chokes I was playing with the timing and all sorts just couldnt get any results really...Backed the timing back down today to 34max...Doesnt really seem any benefit at the top from 36...using 36 gives me a static of 14degrees which seems to give a noticeable low rpm wot power increase and low end power and driveablity but not so good at the top posssibly, atleast on 97 octance fuel...The old engine used to love 98 opitmax and millers booster, so there's more power to come via fuel selection...Sadly the local garage moved to Texaco, I don't rate it as highly as optimax...

As such can't wait to get this 3D ignition on, should really liven it up...I could weld my dissy weights up to 10deg, set the static at 14deg and have 34max, seems to me thats whats needed, the curve doesnt work as well on this engine from my findings...Suited the old one nicely...Can't be arsed with it, stupid dissy!

Gonna increase my plugs a little more.

Sorted a small oil leak from the timing cover, that was down to these funny gaskets needing re-torquing all the bolts were loose! noticed it had used some oil, it was leaking a decent ammount, now its not, torqued the sump up again as one this was dripping a touch from two bolts...This head gasket does leak a tiny bit of oil from the rocker side, gonna re-torque it 65lbs and clean it up with loads of thinners and run a trace of adheseal along the side, hate leaks bar that its dry....

I shall make a little alloy bracket for the crank sensor shortly.

It you want a dogs nads close ratio 4 speed for spitfires email me davidpowell@clara.co.uk I can even make the box ready to expect a J-type for an extra £100 by rebuilding it on a new mainshaft...Its the lightest and strongest combo there is, even the case is lighter than stock 1850 one. Works perfectly, you can engage first with double clutching at 50mph without a wimper.

5 speed box, new diff

Found a type 9 ford kit thanks to Mr Wolfe. Just have to go and pick it up later this week, and earn the dollar to pay for it! Be on the jag for the next few days solid!

Karl Dandridge will get me a race spec diff made up, should be sweet and reliable...Diff uses dolomite crown wheel or something 4.11.

I'll have an extra gear between my current 2nd and 3rd! 3rd is too epic atm. 4th is like 5th! Also nice lazy cruising....Most excellent....Its the only way.

I have a super strong close ratio 4 speed box for sale £250, works perfectly. Dolomite 1850 internals uses Mk3 spit clutch. the strongest variation of gearboxs.

So should be well geared for hillclimbs and launching then also replace the boxes for peanuts.

Green Stuff pads, Terrible!

I can't stand these pads they are useless.

I either have no brakes at all or I am locked up...There is little between. Also I need to fit GT6 brakes on the back I think -still on spit ones!! albeit with smaller bore cylinders to make them work harder.

Suspension, carbs.

Fitting some very heavy duty race springs I got free off my mate, unknown poundage but I think 600lbs. Rides ok still, very tight, my AVO bushes had split as they were from a dodgy batch I called and got some replacements.

Instally noticeable was more understeer during turn in, but thats not a bad thing as it gives stability, more balance maybe, the suspension geometry needs working on and RE720 tyres on the back are better than the A539 and also 185! Fronts are 175 so that doesnt help...Feels good. Tweaked it a bit and got it better, it didnt work at all on my first drive I went home after 2 corners, had to drop the spring bases 6 turns a side to get my ride height down again, need to lower the back also.

Useless trying to jet carbs between 10am and 8pm atm, damned heat! Thing comes alive at 9pm. Moved to 32 chokes and tested some combos. Current on 52idle-7850.1 holder-125main-6tube-140 corrector, but 120-122 main on 130 corrector or 120 basically feels the same!

I think to get the best settings I need to fix the diff and see whats its doing with a Co2 probe, I just can't tell whats best, too hot also. Back on 7 plugs with 1mm gap.

Fiddles

Went into Wales today to see the engineers for the CV spacers.

Used the opportunity to test various settings.... and filled my diff with oil before coming back!

I am slowly dialling into to perfection all over the rpm range, but its a slow process, took me months on the other engine.

Advanced it up a but more again its near max, but might take a bit more 1-1.5deg total - sound as a pound, i'll try and make it knock tomorrow. One thing at a time! Its very vocal with near max advance. I like to get a feel for everything.

I thought the 33 pumps where going on too long there was a gargle noise after about 1second from punching the pedal, fitted 35's and the pickup was much improved as bigger pumps DONT increase fuel level, they dump the same fuel over shorter period, as such punch improved. I leave the pump jet tuning till the very end or when its feeling near good, I will try 38 for a short aggressive pump delivery next...I can then adjust the quanity up or down on the rod and arm mech...and go back down on the jets till it stumbles, go back up a touch and your in the zone.

Found what where great jets last night a bit lean in the heat today was boiling but it ran nicely?! Must be red hot inlet manifolds stealing fuel via burning it off on the way into the ports...Fixed that engine was still a bit rough.

I am gonna make an airbox, but I dont want any restriction in punch so it will be twice the size of the holbay box I had before and painted white to reflect heat.

Moved to BPR8ES plugs tonite seem to have given a smoother flavour, 7 a bit rough? hard to say- but they foul a touch low down due the idle jet issue I will describe in a moment when the jetting is improved further they will be best I think , I gapped them to 1mm which seems better than 0.7mm, smoother and more effiicent feeling...I had my old engine on 1.2-1.3mm gaps or something (have to check my blog!). Its the best its been so far.

I now need to wait for some 120 and 130 air correctors to try tomorrow evening.

At the moment I am on 50idle and 7850.7 holder which is a very rich holder, this is due to the 140 correctors on the 6 tube making the mains a little late in operation they only kick off at 3750-4000rpm or so...As such I am struggling to stretch the idle/progression out to meet the mains without it going a tad rich as from 1000-1500rpm, Lotus used 50 idle and 7 holder on a 2.2L 907 engine!!! My mains are way too retarded.

I hope with 130 or even 120 correctors the mains operate from 2800-3000, I can then drop the main jet size to 115-118-120 or 122? to account for its earlier placement in starting point and rpm range and squeeze the same fuel as used atm over a greater range with a small corrector...Correctors dont just control high rpm mix, they control start point on the mains too - Then I can reduce the idle holder to .1 which gives best off idle mix as seen before...I had it sweet as a nut from 1000-2000 on the 1 holder but have to make concessions as I cannot stretch a 48idle over the required range pon any holder really......

These carbs are crazy, you can tune them a million ways, your result is only as good as bloke doing the work, I aim for a certain style of driving feel, 10 setups will give the same mixture range its just about how it gives power and how it drives....150 correctors make it piss weak in the middle....I like my mains on early and active. Thw way forward is clear.

As such I gave up for now. Jets here tomorrow. When I get the mains on earlier it should liven up the mid range a bit and make the engine take off easier, atm the 6 tube only really operates when you are high into the revs and TPS. It drives well no doubt but I'd like to be more active and cure the off idle fouling a bit...

Lovely weather, half the people who passed me on the lanes tonite stopped to ask if I was ok, if your there in winter no-one stops, if only we had weather like this all the time Britain would be a much nicer place.

666

06/06/06! Maybe that helped the beast find its feet??!!

The Beast!

Sexy or what!

Grille plate cools to 70C on this sticky evening -even on days like todayat 80F the water temp was never over 78C.

Fits together well for a plastic pig!

Needs the valance finishing, an alloy plate adding to the bottom, i ripped off the glass one I made as I didnt like it...the next thing will be adjustable, up and down for trackdays etc, 3inches of adjustment. The whole car needs finishing now. I have hit bulleyes control on the engine I just need more jets to recycle the main circuit to operate a touch earlier and give the same fuel as now...smaller corrector and touch smaller main, more advance.

The jag is gonna keep me busy for a week or so now. I needed to get the Beast in the zone today! It happened. Words cannot express my joy with it, I know there is more to come too!!!!!!!!

Diff is shattered too.

I picked up some Ford CVH leads (from coil packed car)for the Megajolt system today and some sensors £10 total! The leads are near perfect fit! I will run these old things and hunt ebay for some magnecor CVH leads and then use those...I will use the evening time to get the system in place then Mr Bowler will come and give frankstein life. Oh yes! Its gonna be GR8!

Time to get an oil cooler on it too, pressure was lowering a bit today after some backlane tuning, with the oil really hot it makes 60psi @ 3500 and 15-18psi at idle, I'd expect a 5-10psi raise with a big cooler...,You know I NEVER use the open road to tune my car. I go on the rural single track lanes, the surface is better than the main road, there's no doddering old barstewards infesting them and you barely see a car...I go on the main road im stuck behind some knob and the surface rattles my car to bits....Sad state of affairs!! I call the local lanes motorways as its faster than the A-Road!!

It doesn't use oil, none at all really- in the 350miles running in it didnt use more than a drip, its done 150miles on this lot and its still 0.5mm overfull, it doesnt leak oil or weap oil 8-) The best engine I have made by a longshot, worth the hassle blueprinting it all.

Days like these make it all worth while!

This evening I made a major breakthrough.

I changed to heavier floats in the carbs .1 10gram which solved an inconsistancy I had been having. Tested BP8ES plugs, but too cool for road use, but was still bit unhappy happy with the running and unable to work out what timing was best as it sounded like detonation.

I had been suffering with some mixture quality issues on my favoured 7 emulsion tubes, also on 5's, just could get rid of this shrill noise at most TPS and RPM on main power circuit no matter what jets were run, lean, rich, overlaps were all over the place and it wasnt right at all. I could get the circuits to overlap and the middle was all to cock...I have never used a 6 tube on a 1300.

Here was a pivotal moment.

I fitted 128(main) 6 (tube) 140 corrector and happened to hit near gold!! After testing 130main the noise reappeared at the top, also was still there slghtly on 128... I found maybe 10bhp over yesterday... Then I went down to 125main, the engine smoothed out to as smooth as silk and the highend shrill clatter that had been present was completey gone. I found about 5HP or more at the top. Its sweet as a nut!!

The TH7 will idle as good as the TH5 at less rpm!!! 950rpm smooth, it pulls with gobs of torque even on HUGE chokes, there is a little powerband and MASSES of tractability!!! Its a miracle cam! Perfect for road use in a lightcar. When I get this fuelling 100% it'll run as well as a stock engine but with nearly twice the power?...Its awesome! I am SO happy!

Days like these make it all worthwhile.

I am still on 33 max advance and hopefully now I am 100% satisfied the shrillness was down the odd character of the engine's fuel requirements I can ramp that up to 35-36 and gain another 3-5HP!!

The car is absolutely ballistic, over bumps at 60mph in 2nd the rear wheels were wanting to spin, hold on to your hats it a rocketship!! I am overjoyed with it....!!!

It very quick, like the old engine on a 4.11 but more?! I may fit a 3.89 as it might be impossible to put the power down on a 4.11 8-)) In the wet it'll be totally mad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh joy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reborn as a Bike racer?

Its alive! All back together and running. Yet to sample the goods. More neighbour grief, has use some nasty language to get him to go away, told him he isnt welcome on this property. Wrote him a letter after which should lay down my law with him.

Move to 33mm chokes 125 main-7 tube- 150 corrector, the plan is now to just push as much top end 4750-7000 as possible. Should be rapido!

No leaks yet, see how this funny head gasket goes.

I expect the top end to be mad! Yet to note what it idles like etc, bit more lumpy i think but still good, don't care now its all about peak performance.

Went to a classic bike race meet on Saturday with my old engineer, 76 years old -he took two bikes and used 1, had a few problems but ok. He didnt kill himself. His mate was racing a Triumph Bonneville and another mate was on a Honda 88ss, naughtly overbored by 80thou!

Dangerous news, I'm seriously thinking about buying a Honda 88ss and go racing I think, not all the time just for fun, im the perfect jockey, everyone I spoke to asked what I was racing! then saidwhy the hell aren;t you racing!!

Cheap fun and the Honda is dead reliable I can tow it behind the Spit 8-) This guy has been trying to break it for 2years, it did 6 races on Saturday! Real sexy little bike, fully faired and so simple late 60's thing I think, made for me.

Most of the guys there were big and such. I'd cream em when I got fast. I'd be 1.5-2seconds per lap faster than most of em by weight alone. All pretty relaxed. Pembrey great track! Have to go there in the Spitty. Sun Sun Sun was boiling at 10am, cooler in the afternoon! Bar having 2hrs sleep in 48hrs then coming home and working till 3am fitting my engine yesterday it was all good! Bushed to the max, could barely see after 9pm.

Where does this bloody government waste all our money, Wales is such a well laid out place, I like Wales, if I moved anywhere in UK would be there. England is a shambles and shithole. The roads alone are worth moving for, everytime I drive my spit locally here the roads get right on my goat.

Pulled my left chest muscle doing up the pulley nut to some insane torque, pulled it again today it bloody hurts! everytime I breath it kills.

Hopefully get time to have a fiddle with the spit tomorrow.

Engine is near done!

Needs the flywheel bolt holes enlarging and the head refitting. Took me most of the evening to complete. Still concerned about the 0.040" regrind on the crank now I have fitted a race cam...But my rods are 8% lighter than any others I could find so might help, gonna try and break it anyway, probably cap revs to 7000 with 7250 for emergencies. I didnt actually build the engine for this purpose so were into unknown territory!

TH7 is in and sump and timing cover back on.

Incidently I will be making a timing cover with a removable window for the next engine, ie you can tweak the cam on the rollers for max HP, might even forget that and covert the engine to a timing belt not a chain....easy!

Basically plan has changed I am now aiming for as much power at 5000-7000 rpm as possible, no messing with road cams, 7300rpm rev limit, I want 120HP or more?!

About time I added some images so here ya go!



"Standard 10" gasket set, our engines came from this motor, got more and bored out!! contains OE spec gaskets, I will use nothing else, no grey cheap rubbish. Triumphspares@btconnect.com dont buy them all!!! I need some left!

I used Wellseal on the sump and timing cover this time, it doesnt come off and you can slap it on - doesnt end up filling the oil gauze on the pump, it stays where it is, I noticed a dribble on the back of the cam core plug was still in place from fitting the plug! It doesnt go hard it clots ! Its gummy horrible stuff, its no fix for warped over torqued sump trays etc, its liquid and works as a sealer not a bodging tool. Used it before, good stuff! Flange sealer is the devils work, if your needing that get off your ass and straighten out your fittings on a mirror.

Basically I save the rear main oil seal housing gasket, front engine plate gasket, sump and timing gaskets the rest is given back to the guy I brought it off or sold on ebay! I do not use silver-faced exhaust gaskets either, only grey on both sides, silver things are useless, another example of junk for sale. This kits very old!!!

When timing cams I make sure the number ie 103 install is set under straight chain on the loaded side -press as hard as physically possible on the area the tensioner runs in with a special tool, my thumb, this mimmicks the load/drag of the cam and drive train under load, you can't set a cam with a loose chain, flapping all over the gaff!! My cam is timed to 103.2degrees, its meant to be 103 - I couldnt get it more accurate for obvious reasons 8-) it took me 1hr and mulitple checks! It was 101 then 104 then 103.5 then 102.5 then 103.2 and I thought this obsessive enough! With a floppy chain you'll be 2degrees off, pissing in the wind -unless by pure luck you get it right, two deg can cost you 2hp or give you 3-4lbs of torque lower down etc...advancing and retarding cams has a marked effecr on the power character.

Here's my Cam Collection. Top to Bottom - TH7-TH5-Large journal Fast Road 89! I studied them a bit, guess what they're all different!!

Cheap cam lube, any Halfrauds etc...Does a billion cams for £4.50. Its not cam lube but its just good, sticks and clings to anything! Always use lube! Cam lobe loads are simply tremendous, one dry moment on startup you have seeded a lobe failure in the future.

TH5 lobe this is a new cam from a blank.

This must have been down to some grit or swarf in a hasty past rebuild, old engine, this was the Fast road 89, shame as it had been 30000 miles and been thrashed to 6500-7500 an awful lot! Great cam! Was mint bar this the lobes unmarked and followers had ZERO marking on them, luckily the journal in the block still had a firm press fit on the cam bearing, so saving my block for one last go its on + 60 anyway. Be like loosing an old friend when its had enough this time.

Bit more lift on the TH7!, this a new cam from a new blank the shaft thickness is far fatter than a reground and ramp angles more progressive, never bother with a regrind just buy new, the state of most old cams etc....

Time for some Marmite on toast then better get to bed before the twinkies come out and make me go mad!

Politics? Dear Dear....

"Drivel Sensored"