Bigger problem!

Got the cap off, the retainer grooves on the valve are manged up bad, valves toast. Would have dropped in the next few hundred miles or sooner maybe. Just remembering today I overtook a few things at 7500rpm...lucky...!

Should have replaced the collets when I noted they had cracked a while back. Thought it would be ok being triple grooved ford fiesta items.

The old valve's had numerous cracked retainers when I popped them off...but they'd never wriggled out.

Story is I found the two pieces of collet on the magnetic sump plug the night before we left for the Ring....I didn't have time to fix it so just crossed my fingers assuming two of the 3 collect rings would be fine...

Head about to come off, actually found a spare valve from my previous build I can clean up and reface tomorrow...Just need a payen head gasket and a manifold gasket....

Hmm small problem

Inspecting my valve caps and collects just now, I noticed the No1 exhaust collects have split and lost the bottom retainer ring a while back, appears the remains of the collects have been moving upwards on the valve stem and grooves...

Don't like the look of it at all! Says the valve is about to drop to me....Rest fine.

Might see at the trackday in the Alfa :(

I have some spare collects, but no specially cut valves prepped, no spare head gasket here, I have a spare valve I can cut tomorrow at the shop, hopefully just the collects are manged and the valve is ok...

Later I will knock up a tool? to remove the valve caps in situ, I hope, can't be arsed pulling the head. Hopefully I can lever the cap off....

Arsecakes!

Trackday prep - Noise negation!

Still a bit worried about my noise emissions. Or rather the concerns of the local Castle Combe noise Nazi society. Why move next to a race track then whine about noise, some people need shooting to put them out of their own misery!

I knocked up this Mini Micron tonite. My old can hacked down by 12inches and re-packed with the remains of the old packing....Became quite obvious why it was 112db before, there was NO packing left around the tube inside! Only 50% left on the outside wall, must have been those flame outs....Just enough to repack this...I guess this will give me a 5-6db decrease. I flared the end that slides into the actual can on the car so you fit it with a hammer its a good fit. I will need to make a little bracket that goes to one of the numberplate bolts and onto the cage bolts on the can should be ok!...If they moan I'll fit this...Total cost zero pounds.

Oh and I'm itching all over, glad I wore a dustmask! Either the packing or I got fleas!

New roof - like Barbie, made from plastic, its fantastic.

Ebay score!

£21 plastic roof.

Been waiting for a stock look one for 12months...£350 new!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230021566454

Gotta be the cheapest few/couple of kilo saving I can find atm.

Trip to Coventy and some paint needed. Not really arsed about condition etc.

SCORE!

Pork Chop

My bucket is filling up. Only 200grams today :) Hardtop rear fixing cage nuts and cut down bonnet catch plates....

Blogger photo upload is pissing me off. Just times out half the time, stupid thing!

Another day, Another 480grams.

Only a quick session today. I forgot all about the hood frame retaining plates so drilled those out complete with retaining cages. Only small saving, but my bucket of offcuts is getting heavier!

Removed the boot stay mount, again only about 100grams. Also removed the trim panel mount tags and cage nuts from the top of the boot.

I then remembered the number plate lamp has a glass lens! Only about 100grams worth...I removed this, as seen below, I made a new lens from perspex and bonded it to the outer shell...9grams worth of perspex!

Actually better illumination of the number plate than the grotty old glass!

If not for the MOT the hole unit would be binned.

Rear reversing lights are gonna have to go. Will have to make some alloy blanking plates up and paint them body colour and stick them on...Wish I'd filled the holes before it was painted but it'll be ok! There's another 350grams with the wiring removed too?!

Plastic headlight bowls are also a requirement.

Caged door striker plate fixings look a bastard to remove as I have to drill holes in the doorshut...ponder that one!

I suppose once I have done the other door hinges I am up to 1.64kilos of my 30target. Only 28.36kilos to go!

Work in progress - Jaguar subframe and suspension.

580grams saved - 4hrs work! Doh. Door hinge weight reduction

Not an easy way to reduce weight on your car! Only did one side too. 4hrs. With my now sub 5kilo doors incl hinges and window setup -why have huge steel hinges? I only had them fitted with a single bolt anyways.



The offcuts, sadly no good for a stew. Original hinge was 400 grams each. I reduced them to 200 grams a piece with an angle grinder and a few drilled holes.

I removed the caged mount/bolt plates from inside the shell too, there is no weight on the hinges so they are not needed, a single bolt holds the hinge to the body now. A large washer gives a decent footprint on the back. About 80grams for the steel plates removed.



I replaced the 5/16th bolts with M6 metric fittings which saved a few grams too...I may replace the 4 bolts on the door with alloy ones, cheapish on ebay.



Did both hinges, painted the bulkhead black at the top cause the painted lifted when I cracked the hinges off.

Jobs a good-en, door fits the same, just about, and opens and closes...I don't advise this mod unless you are very patient or don't give a toss what your car looks like cause refitting the doors was a complete and utter b******. Without the caged fittings in the body, a real swine, took me over an hour and half to hang the door and line it up again in some god awful contorsionist position trying to do up nuts in the bulkhead box section with 1 finger etc...Lot of swearing!

So both sides will give me 1.16kilo reduction - 28.84kilos left from my 30kilo target. After fitting the hardtop, door seals and heavier type-9 box I added a bit to the car want to get back down below its bare best!

Hopefully getting a fibreglass hardtop in the next week too...That should give a couple more kilos and it doesn't rust...Probably paint it white...Cause white is "cool" in the heat...

Next job after the other sides hinges is the caged plates holding the door striker plates in place...again no need for these, must be 200grams each...I will lighten the striker plates to the bone too by drilling a million holes in them and cutting out sections with saw.

Guess its small details like this that will find the weight I need. I am not willing to destroy my tub adding horrible glass panels and de-seaming, de bracketing, and race weighting it, if I was building a race-car the construction would be VERY different indeed!...Good job I don't want to race it, cause I'd race to win and win alone - prolly be completely obsessed with it! More than now eh?! Maybe in the future!

Don't want to spend any dosh on it either atm. Lightening stuff is free! Just takes bloody hours, I am bushed.

More Ring Pics!

Few more piccies with my co-driver/ballast, Roger.

Entry - pressing on. Quite flat.
After apex, bit of roll under power...swing spring/right rear corner causing it me thinks. Can't run a rear roll bar with a swing spring cause it just doesn't work! It fights the swing action and gives you ZERO inside wheel/unloaded wheel grip without a LSD, as the swinger pivots the unloaded wheel into the tarmac and gives more grip, a roll bar stops this.
Bit of exit roll...but had good traction in all corners.

On the way out. Not sure what corner these are taken at....Looks like Tiergarten, ie the very first proper corner on the track after the Antoniousbucke Bridge.

Makes me wanna go back next weekend!

All quiet on the "beast" front

Nothing to report on the car. I parked it when I got back it hasn't moved since!

Haven't even washed it yet!

It was definately in my good books when I got back! I was fretting a bit before I left. It proved it worth as a package it works well - but there is still alot of things to improve, thats my nature, but for now its fun enough. For a road/track car it is a very good package! I don't want it cost me any money atm so its parked awaiting some loving!

I guess I might just fix the ticking UJ before the trackday.

Then onto some re-engineering/lightening work. I have a 30kilo target for the winter and want to concentrate mainly on lightening, maybe sort some alloy calipers and hubs and rear drums.

I think the Spitfire rear drums and GT6 front brakes are working well together bar the 1144 Mintex pads being a bit too soft at the Ring... with the small bore rear cylinders the drums work well and brake balance was ok at the "ring", so Alloy drums are on my list of toys, don't make em for GT6 brakes so....

Pondering making the bonnet hinge off the bulkhead, backwards...I recon that could save 12-15kilos in tubes and chassis members. I will be bolt shaving the car too and adding halfnuts onto alot of places and adding all the bits removed into a bucket and weighing it regularly! I know an easy 2kilos anyway.

Car was eating too much cash also, so my time is currently spent on the E-type.

Which is nearing the end of its paint job back end of September, lead filled, I hear its looking really really good. Won't be cheap job as much as a mint Spitfire on paint!

I started rebuilding the front subframe and suspension today after repainting, powder coating and rebushing/jointing it all. Nice part of the rebuild, bar the fact the muppet who powder coated the stuff didn't mask it off as I told him, so I have wasted over 2days removing powder coat from important parts of the suspension! doh!!!! Finger ache, knife job.

Wasn't fun taking the suspension apart as all the castle nuts were welded in place by corrosion, there are numerous alloy parts bolted with steel bolts which were stuck, all the threads needed chasing etc...Game.

Nurburgring Success!

Beast as it came home, thoughtly abused!

http://crazyspitfire.blogspot.com/ click here to read this report without the stupid TM symbols?

So my trip started at 2pm on Thursday. I fitted my new pads Mintex 1144 to the car and headed to James's place.

Arrived there about 4.40pm and started to fit the seat belt and seat, then James’s mum kindly cooked dinner and we headed off.

I found since the engine had loosened up it had been using more oil. I did a quick mod before I left and further restricted the external oil feed line down to 0.75mm. After 2000miles would seem it was a good idea, as oil consumption is over 2000miles was only 1litre, which for a virtual race engine isn't too bad, also that was all hard miles!.

Back to the trip! We possibly left a little late from James's place and we hit some traffic on the M25. We would have made it in hindsight as the ferry was 45mins late, but it was looking tight. As such I was forced to wind the Beast up to 5500rpm in 5th gear for the entire length of the M20. Beast was cruising well at a GPS speed of erm, something not at all legal. We arrived at the BP station in at Dover in need of Petrol 30mins before the leaving time, check in should be done by then, we were late but my angst was lifted when it was late.

The car did 240miles to this point on a sniff under 6gallons of fuel...That’s 40-41mpg. I got from Ledbury to Dover on less than 1 tank; I had about 1.25gallons left as we entered Dover. That’s some purely awesome economy from a race cam and twin carbs eh? I have the engine setup pretty good I think.

We actually used only 3 tanks of fuel getting from my house to the Ring!! My last minute jetting and ignition fiddling paid off big time. We used a range of fuel during the trip. Mainly Optimax and Millers Booster, Total Super, BP Ultimate and ARAL 100 octane + booster at the Ring. I wasn't too keen in hindsight on the ARAL and thought my car runs better on Optimax and Booster. All my Ring laps where on ARAL100.

We got off Ferry in Bologne and headed on our way to Maastricht area. All was good for about 50miles, then the rain started, mild at first which was ok - then monsoon!!!

By the time we hit Belgium the rain roads where like rivers, "we need a keel, sail and an anchor" I said, the wipers were useless and windscreen steamed up. Regular high speed aquaplanes and at some points as there was a good 1cm of water over the road.

I could see only 10metres ahead for maybe 60kms or more. I was forced to slow to about 60-70mph during these periods and back up to 80-90mph when there was less water on the road. James commented a few times that he couldn't see anything at all and he gave up trying to see and just started to pray maybe?. I just mumbled a bit with swore at the conditions, actually I couldn't see anything either, basically driving completely blind in the pitch dark, we drove scalexetric style for a while, dots under the car . It was useless slowing down much as it would taken a week to get there. I just kept my foot in and left the rest to the luck of the day …Water was an 1/2inch deep in the floor pans at one point but the top half was dry from my inspired last minute waterproofing! Glad in this weather we didn't have Lucas electrics, the spray of water behind the car was very impressive!

After a while we stopped for Optimax fill up in the middle of Belgium and refreshments and headed on, weather was wet, wet, wet and we kept on meeting these torrential storms. I had to stop to regain my composure about 20miles from our F1 Hotel as it was 3am and my mind was bent.

Arrived and Hotel checked in and I got maybe 4hrs sleep. Roger arrived to act as escort on the B258 to the Ring. We left no breakfast or coffee and stopped and pickup supplies at a German supermarket, which I must add are horrible and useless. Unless you like cheap meat, rotten fruit and highly limited produce.

We safely arrived at the Ring and setup camp. We watched some old-timer racing on the Friday night, which was ok and nice to see the old cars on the Nordschlieffe , but I'd rather be on the track myself, I find watching quite boring and frustrating!

Slept ok woke up feeling a bit stale on the Saturday morning, the Dutch guys cooked a good breakfast and had coffee so my mood improved a bit.

All the guys wanted to watch racing on the new track for all of Saturday, but that sounded really boring to me - I wanted to drive the Ring. So I went off on my own and embarked on a day long session of Ring driving.

I made some new friends in the shape of people who liked my car or who had been following me, overtaken by me or complemented me on my gall in bring a highly tuned 40 year old car from UK on its own 4 wheels and ragging it senseless on the Nordschlieffe! Never a dull moment when you own a car like mine, I was chatting all day!

I did 8laps on the Saturday, 1 at time. All dry which was a good call, as Sunday was horrible! I was very pleased to get these in and had a great time. My first lap was driven quickly in the slower corners and I backed down slightly in the fast ones and kept the speeds down slightly on the run to Schwedenkrautz and down the Forschure as I found on later laps I could pull 123-125mph to Aremberg and 118mph to the left before Adenau Forst, the car didn't bottom out to this was flat in later laps. Always feel a bit out at sea for a lap or two and concentrate mainly on a clean and flowing lines than driving on the very limit.

I increased the speed on the 2nd and 3rd laps and after that I was giving the car full power and commitment as the car felt good. I didn’t time my laps but they would have been quite fast I think…I took the corners after and Flugplatz flat out at 100mph on my later laps and I was pulling 6250rpm in 5th on the downhill shoot to Schwedenkrautz which is 125mph. I must say the car handles superbly it was a pleasure, stable and loads of grip with a lovely balance on the new tyres 80% of the understeer is gone and the drifts nice and balanced…. Long tight corners like Aremberg, Kallenhard were a pleasure to drive with a late turn in, full power on and a late apex kiss using all the road on the exits. The car just goes round corners, it doesn’t fidget or move about you get on the gas early and hold it down, NO oversteer bar at Adenau forst chicane and exit of Weirsefen! It works well in bumps etc. It is too low with a passenger as it grinds the exhaust a lot, but is ok on my own.

There was an American service man there in a Corvette ZO6 who tried to hold onto me through the Hatzenbach down to Bergwerk but didn’t seem to like cornering as quick as me. His son enjoyed the show! I indicated for him to pass on the straights but he wouldn't. It was during this lap I was chasing one of the Arbath race cars I saw in the race on Friday night. I was holdng onto him from the first corner to Weirsefen and gaining on him in the sections where there were corners with no straights. His driving was getting more erratic the closer I came to him and he finally spun it at Weirsefen and made contact with the bank! Opps. I didn't see him again. The Z06 driver just missed him as he fishtailed back on track. Not my intention I was just having fun!

I chatted to Terry in the Z06 for about an hour in the parking place and watched some action with him and his son and headed off for more laps after this.

I had no moments or near misses etc I never take myself to the limit on the Ring. I don’t need to push myself to be fast! I don’t find watching my mirrors for faster cars takes any of my concentration away and being overtaken by fast cars never bothers me as I always see them early. Plus in the corners I always seem to be as fast as just about anything.

We had a good few drinks and ate well on the Saturday night, I got a great nights sleep with my ear plugs in.

James and I left the others at about 10am on the Sunday and headed off to get in some laps with Rob in his TR7V8. I needed a quick food hit and got some breakfast from the cafe at the track. If was VERY cold, foggy and damp in the forest camping but the track was bone dry, empty and these were great fun laps, even if I was half asleep!

Rob is a great driver and led the first lap, obviously his V8 is faster than my car on the straights so he kindly backed off and in the corners we had some good fun, he was going well. I had no problems keeping up bar the straights. Was fun watching the big car handling well and him over steering out of Stielstecke Curve.

My brake pads were not really great and needed to be harder for maximum attack! Rob indicated we should do another lap immediately so we didn’t take a break and headed back out my first double header which I knew I would have brake issues!

Rob waited as I was held up at the ticket gate. I am not sure if he wanted me to lead or not, but I wanted to set the pace so I zoomed by. After the previous day my lines were coming together and I did a pretty fast lap with Rob following and I think it was easiler for him this way?. I could see him and his lady laughing at my rear wheel camber! He is no slouch behind the wheel and it was interesting to see the type of corners where the Spitfire was faster and lighter on its feet, ultimately faster in all corners maybe, but then Rob had not done many laps for a long time so I guess he was rusty! I lost my brakes at the very tight Weirsefen section and had no brakes at all at Briedschried! The car was full of the smell of burning brakes! Lucky the climb to Angstcurve is time for then to cool off and the rest of the lap they were fine.

We both hopped from our cars with very big grins on our faces! I think James enjoyed the laps too! I certainly did!.....

Then it started to rain a bit and didn't dry up till 3.30pm. Glad I got my laps in on Sauturday.

I did one wet lap following Rob but couldn’t hold him without risk of crashing my car so I backed off and enjoyed the scenery! The car is brilliant in the dry but the rear camber doesn’t work at all in the wet it would have been easy to crash the car in a straight line if you caught the camber wrong or a bump etc. Not fun! I had it sideways with only a slight application of the throttle in most corners till I called the fun off and took it safe!.

We hung around after Rob went home and the sky was sunny oneside and grey the other. The track was closed for a crash and still wet when it opened.

Lucky it dried up fully and took Roger for a quick one before having to head back to the campsite and pickup my stuff. This lap was quick, smooth and with the benefit of clean lines. We overtook lots of cars and didn’t have to worry to much about cars from behind. A Lotus Elise was 70metres behind me exiting Bergwerk at the bottom of the massive climb and even with Roger (80kilos) on board he only passed me at the very top after over 1km, so maybe without a passenger my car would be as fast as an Elise? This is a steep hill without a passenger I was able to pull nearly 100mph up it if I used 7250 in 3rd before hitting 4th.

Then it was time to go! We had an uneventful drive to Bologne bar one session of Belgian manic rain! The car feels like it would run forever at 95mph in 5th gear! The ferry was nearly 2hrs late. I didn’t get home till 6am after leaving the Ring at 5pm! I was wacked!.

We then got "pulled" in the Ferry Port for driving too fast or something, basically some jumped up dickhead policemen needed to stretch his puny ego and tell me I was a show off etc, he was just pissed off cause my car was nicer than his eh, or he hadn’t been laid this week?!…We weren’t even driving fast just my car is noisey and I opened it up at about 10mph. He was a real example of how not to endear the public to "our" police force. Some looser who finally got some authority.

He asked me what I was thinking and someother tarade of crap that applies not to sportcar drivers but muppets. I replied it’s was 2am I had been driving all day the ferry is late I have just been asleep, I have not the brainpower to be thinking anything bar about getting a coffee and getting home.

He starts the court summons shite, why do they do that- is it policy to bullshit you?! I just had to apologise and bite my lip while he wasted 5mins of my time checking all my details…He said "take a seat"- pointing at my car…Get lost - I stood up and rolled a smoke and started walking about and sorting my stuff in the boot, I don’t give a toss for your commands, don’t tell me what to do you jockstrap!

I could really get myself in trouble in these situations.

Had he given me the points, court bullshit any more than once I would have asked for his evidence that he will present to the court, he had none and he was alone, so he was just barking up the wrong tree trying to intimidate me . I made sure when he taking to me I just just looked him up and down constantly, with a VERY un-interested vacant look, the kind of **** you look, your bullshit is just heading over my head, don’t bother.

He handed me my passport and said off you go…"Don’t speed" …Yer right!!! Some people have minds of their own mate.

A great welcome back to the UK!

We had no issues with the car, I need not have taken any tools or spare anything! It handled Ring really nicely and as a package it works very well! There are some changes to be made over the winter, namely small things and a camshaft change and shorter diff.

I am sure there is more to say, but I am still knackered! Hopefully some more pics will appear soon!

String of images after the rain. The Golf was quicker than me under braking as I was leaving a safety margin.

I made bit of ground on him between the previous photo and this one, in the transitions between corners, you can see his missies laughing in the next photo! I was flying in the 2nd and 3rd corners of Haztenbach and had all 4 wheels sliding and my car is VERY agile compared to the Golf! The 2nd corner in Hatzenbach is wicked in the Spitfire! Ride a wave of grip!

I let him by here as holding up folks isn't nice and pisses me off too.

Exiting Hatzenbach section the Golf is local has R-tyres + more poke than me + H&R Ring pack fitted! I just let him by, he was going well.

Smutty bum!
Car looks a like it drives in the corners, very easy work!

Wet Ring? Ciao!

This is the Ring today, I checked weather yesterday and it said sunny and nice, bar possible rain on Sunday! now it says rain, thunder, and sun....At the Ring that means wet, dry, wet, dry, cold, hot....hail, sleet whatever.

As such I had to spend a little time this evening with lots of a insulation tape and silicone sealer, sealing every know leak my car used to have, main pain was the weather strips on my side windows as without an inner panel it you get a bit wet, now these are stuck to the windows with black insulation tape, hardtop front section sealed, any holes tended to, rear hardtop window resealed and taped up...I wasn't gonna bother because of the heatwave of late...I have yet to use it in the rain so I thought it best to prepare for the worst, hopefully James and I can now enjoy a 100% dry and warm trip in even the most horrid weather...Only issue is misting up, which will be a bastard! No heater or ventilation makes for a rather steamy beast.... I'll have to get James to stop breathing.

One bonus of the wet weather it usually means the Nordschlieffe is empty so we can make the most of the Re720 rain tyres and take some tentative laps...I don't declare myself a rainmiester, don't like it...I am a drymiester!

I packed my huge umbrella and some wet weather gear, I will pickup some tarps on my way tomorrow. as this cheap tent doesn't look too waterproof!

Beast is all packed, weighed down with fluids and tools and a few random spares. I can do no more! fingers crossed now. I put the 4.5L of spare oil and water over the wheelarches at the front in the bonnet as the rear end was getting a bit low, ballast and all that! Actually they have doubled the mass of my bonnet! Feels like a steel one again!

Just need my Mintex pads to arrive in the AM, modify them, as they are Ford ones and head to James's at about 1.45-2pm.

Hopefully back in 1 bit on Monday!

More mapping

Car has been working great, bar at cruise from 3000-4000rpm. This area is quite important to our Ring trip! Althought I guess all driving will done at 4500-5000 in 5th.

This area directly relates to an area where the TH7 drops torque (see above)...I have been fighting this area for a while on the jets, but its not the jets, its the bloody ignition. The cam needs and likes a shed of advance from 1000-3000, but then it can't take the advance through to 4000 and needs retarding from 3000-4000.

I have created a funny map that has really cleaned up this area, its still a bit flat but the engine is smoother with it now. Since I lightned the flywheel this problem has come into play...It relies on torque and power in higher gears but the power is only weak at these rpm and torque actually falls from 3000-4000!

Much improved.

Mixture tests

So the meter came.

I ran £20 of 97 Texaco through the car today, not my favoured fuel it doesn't run that well in my engine, needs booster added.

The meter is no doubt useful but doesn't really tell me anything I cannot feel, when its good on the gauge it feels good!

It did enable me to make some firm jet decisions and see my crossovers in my detail.

I had the main circuit setup 125main - 7 tube- 170 corrector, the meter told me this had a decent cruise mixture and mid range but leaned off a bit at the top and high end WOT, I setup like this as it was a bit stodgy at mid range cruise on 125-7-160 I was using at the sprint on the way home...I find air correctors "air brakes" also slow the start point on the mains, hense my movement to 170, but at the same time they lean the top end also. For whatever reason I choose to leave the main at 125 that day.

I tested numerous combo's 120-7-170, 128-7-170, 128-5-160, 125-7-160, 120-5-160, 120-5-150, 125-5-150, 118-5-140, 115-5-140, 115-7-140, 118-7-140, 118-7-150, 120-7-150, 125-7-150 using a combination of high speed motorway testing and low speed A-Road work. None of them ideal.

Was a touch hot today for the sweetest running, the car was much nicer on my final evening run with 20C air.

I ended up on 122main-7tube-160 corrector, this gives me 13(ish) air fuel ratio 80-110mph on the motorway with a partial throttle opening and gives me 12.2-13 at wide open throttle from 4500-7500. Oddly when I reduce the throttle opening at these speeds it goes 11.1 rich till I get to 3500rpm then goes back to 13ish, not quite sure what that is about, maybe the progression is adding fuel again as the plates pass the progression holes and the load is low and the fuel isn't being burnt just ejected...Its these C carbs I think!! It doesnt have a downside its just a happening..

The meter reads 14.7-15.1 at a closed throttle from any speed and read 16-17 on the 48 idle jets. In the low end-the car doesn't like anything less than 13.5-14 in any situation bar closed throttle, can't expect a race cam to enjoy stiometric fuelling..It likes max rich in progression when you open it up or accelerate gently.

I noted the idle circuit was running a bit rich and long on 50idle - 7850.1 holder, which confirmed by reason for using the 170 corrector...I couldn't detune the progression as its starts to miss off idle.... I tested 48idle and 7850.3 holder, holder a stage richer than my usual 1 but the 48 is too lean at 1000-1750rpm then the mix was good, better than the 50 and 1 holder I think. Missing forced me back to the 50 and 1 holder.

So I drilled the air hole on the 1 holder out by 0.1mm (I think 8-) which seemed to do the trick but possibly another .1mm will be even better. I'll stew on that before wasting a set of holders if its no good. I can't use anything less than 50 idle I just wanted the high end of progression to lean out a bit. Oddly people NEVER use holders leaner than 7850.1...This helped an occassional miss when you decked the throttle from low rpm.

The engine likes the gauge to read max rich during transitions from cruise to power, also possiblty the pump jets adding their fuel making it read rich for a short time and any attempts to lean this out a bit results in a loose of smoothness and the odd hickup, so I left it rich.

All in all worth £60 but I have been on these jets before. Bar modifying the idle holders. The proof of any pudding is what it feels like on the next day, so we will see!

Fitted some new lockheed/delphi brake shoes and adjustment my handbrake as well...Its been a minor pain in the bum on this super low rear susp as when it bumps it shortens the cable as at static its inclined.

I increased the stiffness on my rear shocks too and gave the drivers side 1 more click than the pass - gave the tyres a touch more pressure, think where not balanced to eachother(shocks)...I was doing 6500rpm in 4th gear and hit some manic yumps on this road and the tyre bottomed out on the arch! not the outer arch but the bloody top of the wheel arch! I smelt rubber! the arse end waggled about and it wasn't pleasant at all 8-) When you run out of suspension movement the load has to go somewhere then be released - not quite a brown pants job, would have been for a passenger me thinks , it lurched left and right with a mind of its own!

An evenings fiddling

Really can't be bothered to spend any cash on another capillary water gauge atm, the old one is still working ok to 80C which is rarely exceeds. I still have the stock triumph one in the car, it was oil temp gauge, being as there is nothing you can do about oil temp bar add a cooler, which I have, I never bothered to wire it up.

The radiator has two large blank caps where sensors can go, I drilled out a suitable sized hole in one and self tapped the stock triumph water temp sender into this, with plenty of epoxy for good measure, so for the trip I now have two water temp gauges!

The Megajolt ignition has a shift light function and 4 user programmable outputs at certain rpm. I made a single lamp shift light tonite with an a red LED lamp, tested it at 11.30pm by making it work at 1200rpm to not piss of my neighbours ! it comes on at 7000rpm after resetting it, help to remind me to change gear. When I get some more molex pins I will make a 3 light system, yellow at 7000, orange at 7200 and red at 7400, they stay on so its a staged system.

My car on all engines with twin carbs has always made a whisle noise at certain throttle positions at all rpm, just off a closed throttle then goes as you open it up, sounds like pinking but its not as you can back the ignition off 15degrees and it still makes it...Funny noise, sounds like the air rushing past the progression holes in the carbs, whistling. I'd like to work out what it is oneday!

I adjusted my megajolt map today a bit, tested a few huge variations in the 1600 and 2400rpm range. The only downside of this light flywheel is the fact the performance before 2750rpm in 4th gear is plainly crap if rushed- bar on flat road where its ok and even pulls 5th gear from 1500rpm, its just when you meet any kind of incline, or rush it from 1500rpm to 2350rpm in 4th on the flat. Clears by 2350 on the flat and 2750-3000 uphill...Guess I am asking alot of a race cam and light flywheel 8-) ie perfect clarity! It was a really noticeable thing on my first test drive, the stock flywheel was much better in this area and pants at the top....

This is the lightest I have used and combined with the camshaft there is a bit of a trade off or makes tuning it harder anyways ...So I changed my first ignition map point from 1800 rpm to 1600 and brought map point two down from 2500 to 2200, map point 3 is 3500rpm. Seems to help.

In regards to WOT 100kpa atmospheric pressure MAP line I am running 15deg BTDC at idle speed, 25degrees BTDC at 1600rpm and 27 degrees at 2200rpm...Actually there small improvement after doing this especially at a near closed throttle I could use 5th at lower rpm without it moaning. Dialled out a bit of the flywheel effect.

I tested 21 and 23 degrees BTDC at 1800 - and 23 and 25 at 2400 which was a bag of crap on both then reverted back to me normal setting which was improved (25-1800, 27-2400). Then ramped the points of rpm down to 1600 and 2200 and used the above settings which it seemed to like...Next stage is to ramp the idle advance up a bit more I think, need to get me PC in the garage and see what it will take before the RPM stops raising then go back a deg or so.

Here is my current map for the MJL remember its 3D -manifold pressure (MAP30-108) versus rpm.

RPM =1000,1600,2200,3500,4100,5000,5500,6000,6500,7100

MAP 30= 20, 28, 30, 31, 33, 35, 36, 36, 37, 38(closed plate/overun)
MAP 40= 19, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 35, 36, 37(touch open high rpm)
MAP 50= 18, 27, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 35, 36, 36(light load plate slightly open)
MAP 95= 17, 26, 28, 29, 31, 33, 34, 34, 35, 35
MAP 98= 16, 25, 27, 28, 30, 32, 33, 34, 34, 35
MAP 100=15, 25, 27, 28, 30, 32, 33, 34, 34, 35 (wide open!)
MAP 102=14, 24, 26, 27, 29, 32, 33, 34, 34, 34(retard maps)
MAP 104=13, 23, 25, 26, 28, 31, 32, 33, 33, 33
MAP 106=12, 22, 24, 25, 27, 30, 30, 32, 32, 32
MAP 108=11, 21, 23, 24, 26, 29, 29, 31, 31, 31

I can make alot more of this ignition unit but without a laptop I can't road test it so this is a safe bet from various experiments using settings that work best from them all. I could run more advance in the 30MAP line I think and 40 too, but I kept it simple for now!

Lots of wiring added in the last week! Just need this meter to tie it all up. The guy only sent it special delivery after checking the number, my guess is it will arrive monday! I told him to send it Saturday guaranteed!!!!! Gawd!

Like the new exhaust, its much quieter you can actually hear the carbs now and it doesn't vibrate the hole car and world as much! Still makes a fair howl at higher rpm.

The trick to get away with mild sound offences at the Ring is to not rev in the carpark, idle to the gates, drive slowly at low rpm till you pass the bridge and boot it when you get to Tiergarten or Turn 11 (funny name! its turn 4), at the laps end back off right after the final corner...This gives you time to let the engine cool off too.

Breakthrough

Just waiting on my exhaust clamps and were in business. Silencer is mount is welded on.

So after some hounding I should have my meter tomorrow with my clamps.

I was hoping to have the car wrapped up today as I've stuff to do on the jag next week and get all the suspension and subframes powder coated. Anyway I got the guy to back to the post office pickup the package he sent too late yesterday via signed for 1st class, which is always 2nd class or 3rd to my house! and re-send it via saturday guaranteed special delivery. Being as I was promised 10days max for delivery I don't think its too much ask of him I said I was in a mild hurry when I ordered.

I think i'll go and chew on my steering wheel for a while or something.

Company to avoid - CT Tuning

CT Tuning - Cost Effective Technology....

Still waiting for my bloody air/fuel ratio meter 16days. This chap is REALLY pissing me off now. I am highly aggitated.

http://www.ct-tuning.co.uk hardly cost effective technology when you'll have to go and pay for a rolling road run to check your Co2 cause the sob can't pull his finger out of his ***.

He is stringing me along like a prat, he has no telephone number and won't give it to me, I can't even "talk" to him in person.

I wanted this meter a week ago. Was meant to be sent yesterday by special delivery, nothing here, at this rate it won't even bloody arrive before Germany.

I am LIVID I'm gonna have to hammer something.

Exhaust, Lamdba sensor fitting.

Well. I removed the exhaust today and cut a hole then brazed in the lambda sensor boss in the 2-1 Y piece.

Braze = good as it flows and seals. I wired up and fitted the sensor I just await my fuel meter, still...Tomorrow I am assured, better bloody be! I just need to run a new feed to my fuse box from the batteries auxillary terminal which is after the battery and connected to the cut off switch, then string a wire to the front from the fuse box to power the meter and lambda sensor heater. I will add two switches on an alloy plate with a red light. The heater can then be switched on and off with a redlight to say its on and the meter switched on and off via the other switch...

I took a gamble on some rockwool type stuff from homebase to repack my micron silencer, it said A1 fire rating but after taking a blow torch to it, it melted, not rockwool!! £5 wasted, I'd have had enough of it to pack a 100 silencers if it was the right stuff. I was gonna repack the silencer to test it, anyway after taking it apart I noticed it had some major cracks in the end so it was about to fall it off anyway! So pissed off I took a hacksaw to the tube and about 5minutes later the new can was fitted.

It just happened to line up on the car, I managed to raise the exhaust a good 1.25" from the dangling previous setup...I just need the old mount welded onto this can's outer body and its a free job really..The old mount is actually a radius arm, wishbone bush and front wishbone bracket welded to the remains of one of the rear bumper supports I removed to save weight, there's cheap engineer huh?! I will add another strap mount for the main pipe to the diff front plate to take the load off the rear mount a bit and keep the exhaust up....Also puts the initial harmonics from the system into the diff and not the tub...

Ran the car with it semi assembled and its much quieter bar some blows due to lack of clamps, has a nice rasp at idle but no deep bass booms! Doesn't vibrate the whole garage, sounds very refined! Suddenly the idle sounds and feels cleaner and every tiny miss etc isn't amplified via the exhaust into a major sound!

Because of the Lambda I will need to seal the Y - piece and main tube wth exhaust paste to avoid air leaks effecting the reading...Which is a bit annoying cause it makes taking it apart a bit of a bastard as I found out last time I used it, removing the Y involved a massive hammer, loads of sweat and alot of loud swearing. Considering how many times its been off recently it would piss me off to remove again soon!

I will clamp the bike can to the main tube with a "mikalor" clamp, these are light and very effective with complete grip through 360deg and can be done up bloody tight with no deformation of tubes, those U things are complete pipe mangling junk!

Crap piccy -New can, very much like the old one! Its run at 90deg round from what is its real top and bottom. Gives me more clearance to the deck than the last one. Also the pipey bit on the end happens to go out backwards! I might add a clamp on mini silencing end pipe to sap a few decibels and make the gas exit further away from the car so it doesnt all stick to the car and make a mess.





















A tyre. Bit about 10miles today, oh feels lovely pottering about the old tyres were well out of balance as they were scrubbed to buggery, no judder on these! Steering feels much nicer. Won't last!

Not much to report!

Little happening on the beast, its all together really. Ring ready?!

Just need some decent front pads and good rear shoes.

I hacked the lower part from my front valance, as without the base plate its just acting an an airbrake. Also it was looking ugly as it wasn't prepped well for painting, or more my construction methods needed some work. I shall make another spoiler of different design over the winter.

For the trip the valance will give maximum lift for maximum straight line speed 8-)

The front end needs lowering, which is a pain as my tracking has been done! The car has loads more rear grip with its lowered setup, or stability at the back, combined with the 600lbs springs the car has a wad of understeer in slow corners...which is quick as you can drive the car just on the limit of the grip without having to fight the rear end -but its a little too much for liking, you can turn into the understeer and stick more lock on it holds line but doesnt turn anymore...maybe the dampers need softening...after seeing Jon Wolfe's car with no anti-roll bar, I might take it off as there is zero roll anyways so there is no really no need for a roll bar eh?! Swing Spring or not, its not on jelly springs so the roll at the front is solely tamed by the springs and the bar is doing bugger all....I can test that by simply removing 1 link....I think its a combo of things... no roll bar saves a few kilos anyways.

GONE are the days of oversteering round roundabouts for lap after lap...That solely caused by wads of bodyroll at the front lifting the inside rear wheel off the floor allowing it to spin easy and give oversteer, crap handling, but fun I guess, my car is quite boring thesedays turn and ermm go round! With the understeer tamed should be quite effective. It works well in tight medium speed and fast long corners its just hairpins or very tight corners that it understeers, which as said isn't a bad thing as fighting the rear, while fun is slow as shite.

Also at the sprint my rear brakes were adjusted a little tight which was giving me some oversteer on entry to tight corners, backed them off a bit, its cause of my small bore cylinder experiment, too make the spit brakes at the back work harder to balance out the GT6 front brakes...seems to work you just need to not adjust them all the way up as you would normally...the 0.750" master cylinder has made them work harder than the 5/8th no doubt..So took me a while to get a handle on the settings.

Stable for the Ring anyway! The RE720's are extremely progressive . I fitted the new tyres but have yet to drive it or scrub them in, maybe that will help as they are all the same and the yoko's are well old and bald, the chunky tread on the new tyres should move about more and generate more heat and bite anyways. I think it needs a 3/4" lowering.

I have basically just gotta fit the air/fuel ratio meter and check my jetting and sort the exhaust, the ignition is running well and fuelling is ok I think - the car was cruising well at 100mph the other day, saw genuine 6000rpm in 5th -125mph few days ago, little loud and noisey! I brought some decent ear plugs for me trip to the ring!...If I don't get round to the exhaust I will hack the spare silencer in half, weld it up and bolt it to the back of my current one for circuit laps..They will kick me off with the racket it makes atm no question. Have to watch it getting on the speedferry, it might beach out on the ramps!

Re-packed my front hubs with grease.

Might change the headgasket before the trip as its a funny one, copper/asbestos/steel, works fine but it leaks wads of oil from the follower side when used at 5000rpm + and makes a mess, bit thick than payen too costing me some comp ratio. Might just run a bead of adheseal along the side to stop the leaks and take a spare gasket?! Be silly to go all that way without spare headgasket!

Fitted some doorseals the dust and road crap entering the car was profoundly annoying! weight addition yuck!