Good things come to those who hunt ebay

I needed some more of these for when I fix the laminova oil cooler on and or apollo tank.

Came in 3 lots from ebay. I brought the whole lot as I can resell some of them, reducing the cost to nothing.

Above are some JIC-12 sized ones I don't need, but for £23 can you afford not to buy them? Lets say the two kinked items at the top are £36 each, the blanker is £12, the straight one is £17...push on one about £23!

Above are the ones I need...JIC-10...£125 worth.

This little thing is an antidrain flapper. Quite important with the apollo tank? but not fitted at caterham...Basically I'll stick this in the return line to the oil block from the exterior oiling system, it will stop ALL oil returning to the sump from the apollo and oil filter etc after the engine is switched off, it opens with about 1psi of pressure and allows 100% flow. The apollo tank takes like 3L of oil, so it'll save filling it when the engine is started? I hadn't really given that much thought, the oil filter should stop the empty effect or drainback due the valve in it, but we all know how good they can be, and thats not woth 3L of oil above it? Caterham just use an oil take off plate and wang the apollo on it... So surely this is even better...

This item is worth £75, it cost me £12 :)

Oh the whole lot of connectors and goodridge parts cost me £68! There is over £300 worth of parts there.

All items are brand new.

Still no smoking. Easy as pie.

My only large cravings come after I have been cycling and I just get back, cause thats the best smoke I ever had! Also if my stress gets up...

Been out for 2hrs this afternoon cycling, over 20miles of climbing and decending, climbed the Malvern hills and rode some quiet lanes...Starting to feel some power returning to my legs and they are bulking up again, they ache and are stiff as there is some serious muscle growth going down...Also heavier than I have been for a few years :) Thats probably my leg muscles growing...57kilos now :) 9 stone! Fat bastard. Seems the mass is going on the right bits :) My shoulders also ache a bit.

Farting

Been doing a fair bit of farting.

Still no smoking at all...Today was a piece of piss! I think I have cracked it! That easy eh? Had a small urge to smoke this afternoon once, bar that no craving at all. Today easier than the last 2days, so tomorrow can only be easier....

I cleaned my bicycle this evening! Serviced it, retuned the gears and regreased the hubs etc. Its an Italian Simoncini Alloy frame thing, nice bike. Went out this afternoon and did 10miles, half climbing, half downhill, did another 5miles after the service.

I intend to go and do 20miles tomorrow.

I want to be cracking 60miles in 3hrs again without a break- like I was when I was 20 (and smoking) before long.

Be looking for a bargain ebay pukka mountain bike soon, as riding on the road is nasty in winter and MTB is much more fun!

I have this urge to get SUPER fit again. Only issue is its time consuming to get to the point you can do 20mph average for 3hrs...2hrs a day training.

Being super fit has many benefits, soaring testosterone and dopemine levels...to be fair, been feeling a bit off form last 12months...Time to get pumped again! I was a nightmare in my late teens and early 20's :) I need to toughen up again, its easy to start getting soft in ya old age.

I have felt some niggles of age appearing, I don't like it...Time to revolt again my body :)

Ahh best also do something on the car too! Not really in the mood atm...

Mumblings

Went hunting for one of those heat exchangers at lunchtime, no joy.

Spend the evening trying to sort a mates Porsche Spyder replica, couldn't find the problem, Alfa motor, misfiring and running like shit. Needed more indepth equipment.

Not much progress on anything atm.

Haven't smoked any cigs for 2 days. I must say its been a piece of piss so far. Been trying to take it easy and whatever - been out cycling to boost my dopamine and feel good hormone levels. Avoiding any stress atm I gpt a bit tetchy when the Porsche left - hadn't factored in the annoyance to my schedule...But real easy so far, infact I haven't had any real desire or compulsion to smoke, the odd small craving but nothing heavy...No physical symptoms or anything, feel perfectly normal...

I tested my blood pressure a few times, which was usually 110-120/70 ish...which is low anyway! Its reduced a bit - nearly too low :) 100/60 or 95/55...It should be 100 plus your age for the first number ~(systolic) so 129 for me...Hopefully it won't go any lower, I might drop dead :) BP was only 115-71 after I got back from cycling with a 130BPM heartbeat.

I intend a daily cycling routine and will note any changes. I expect in a short while to start hacking up crap as my lungs alveoli start to function better.

Usually start my day with a cig and espresso, didn't really miss that both days.

Considering I have smoked everyday for about 13years, albeit never super heavily you'd expect it to be hard? I tried in the past but it seemed hard, cause I don't think I actually wanted to quit and smoked regular cigarette, prerolled, which are PUMPED full of ammonia, which makes nicotine MUCH more powerful...As a roll-up only smoker its been MUCH easier?

For whatever reason I seem to want to quit atm...I just smoked a cigarette with my coffee in the morning two days ago, said thats enough and threw my smokes away...Easy!. I do things when I enjoy them and stop when I don't. Just stopped enjoying smoking...I always enjoyed it. Stopped enjoying it in any way, so I think thats made it easier.

If it remains this easy and I quit for good I'll be forced to call anyone moaning about quitting a pussy!

No gum, patches or nonsense...You want to QUIT a substance you must QUIT it...period, full stop, cold turkey...No use still taking it in other forms, cause you never beat the addiction till you stop the gum etc...Gum just makes people money....Its makes the nicotine withdrawal worse I reckon...After 4 days your body is free of nicotine going cold turkey, make it past day3-4 your home and dry with some will power...Thats is, your brain will re-programme itself in a few more days and weeks, your all done.

Hope I am not too confident, but its been a REALLY easy ride so far, considering its meant to be more addictive than herion and crack...Must be really easy to quit them!

I have tried and failed before, but the timing was never right. The time is good atm!

The cravings have been so mild, from the purer rolling tobacco I think...Only thing is the mental associations that will be hard to break, smoke with this, before this, after this etc...Just gonna take it easy for a while! I don't drink or go out much, so I will be concentrating on associating things with other things and reprogramming by "habits" I actually think the "routine" is harder to break than the "addiction".

Lami-Rover Heat Exchanger

Found this little bit of info from my mate James today.

Been looking for a cheap head exchanger...

Its probably from a 1995 Rover 200 series with a diesel engine or different model with the same motor the core is, by Laminovas own admission, the same as the one they sell for aftermarket tuning. Also the body is better as the pipes are next to eachother so a neater install.

Now I have to track one down! I can sonically wash the core and modify the outlet and inlet pipe angles/sizes if needed.

This isn't priority modifications it'll go on the same time I fit the Apollo tank...So its a little side project atm. Looks ideal!

Tarting

Thought it was time I dragged the bonnet inside, its been outside for about 12months in the rain! good thing about plastic it doesn't mind :)

Stuck the bonnet on, refitted the mounts, valance and spent 2hours polishing me bonnet :)

Added some foam seal.
Have to make a fly catcher as the radiator gets stuffed full of them...

Should be some good progress shortly. Been trying to save some cash recently to invest in some ideas I have, nearly achieved my target for now, I can then finish the thing.

Did some more wiring jobs, soldered some more connections that were crimped, neatened up a few bits.

Not a fat lot :)

Painted some bits, refitted my valance, finished off the radiator.
There's the wiring seal.
Think its this bodywork thing, can't my head into gear for it atm.

Been flogging more stuff I don't need, cleared the garage out now the Jaguar is gone.

Gonna get on a TIG welding course soon.

Whats up with this summer lark? Its terrible! Bloody hell, its smells like a wet cave outside, its like January! Boohoooooo. Pissing down today, wearing a fleece! Summer really is the only part of living on this dump of an island I enjoy.

Laid back

Bit more pleasant this relaxed lark.

In 30days it will be 12months since the car turned a wheel! Thats pain.

I have completely forgotten whats it like to drive! I know it was lovely to drive at the end, so nothing should have changed :)

I am kind of hankering after my first run in with a fast car now :) Maybe a Porsche or something.

Not much planned this weekend.

Hopefully by the anniversary I can it mostly done.

Been trying to flog some old stuff on ebay, sold a few bits and bobs, kind of nice to exchange old gear for new gear with no wallet pain.

Would have nice to keep an account of the hours involved...Must be pushing a 1000. I don't keep any record of the costs or parts so no idea of the totals. Got about £400 worth of stuff left from the old engine setup I can sell, which should me through for the final parts.

Need a new windscreen, some polycarb for the hardtop screen, some paint, some tig-welding and some alloy, still need some VVC followers for the head...Exhaust needs making up. May ponder that option at the end as it will be the VERY last thing. May get this manifold adapted to a 4-2-1 and run longer pair of 2nd secondaries round the sill by the outrigger and go to 1 just after, or might not. Water rail still to make. Mostly just labour now.

I am awaiting a sudden urge of motivation. Not had much fun time this year its taking its toll I think, been in the garage since November, 24-7...Not even been out anywhere bar to get car related parts...Sad innit :) Hopefully next year will be more exciting. Atleast the car should be so ballistic I won't be full chat everywhere, so it should stay in one bit :)

I might russle up some funds and piss off to the pacific for 2months next winter, maybe Jan and Feb. Be nice to get away from cars, kind of unsettled atm.

I intend to do more Triumph Club stuff next year, so watch out! I just don't seem interested unless I can arrive in one and leave in one.

Knob reduction

Jobs a good-en.

All the gears engage as they did before, that helps.

I popped down the engineering shop, used a mill to drill the shaft, easier, and things don't move with the item being drilled bolted down on a bench.

Drilled the new hole to 5mm diameter, put a little chamfer on the ends to help the roll pin go in. Hole was drilled 75mm further forward than the old one. Frontline are correct, 75mm is the very maximum possible. This involved shortening the bush in the piece cut off by a 2.5mm or so.

Anyway happy enough.
Have to grind a few bits off the selector piece, make some alloy plates that can be welded to both parts as you cannot get a weld gun into the crevis properly. However the fundementals are in place. Provided the mechanism on the end of the selector rod can get into the 5th gear slot the rest of the gears don't seem to mind about super accurancy, the job is quite self-explanitory. The 1-2 gears rest against a stop, the 3-4 gears also, the 5th also, provided the selector mech reaches these areas and reverse and just touched the stops all is well. Probably bead blast both parts tomorrow and grind off some areas, then get it tacked up down the engineering shop before giving it to a "pro" to mess up.
Dead on 75mm.

Got some new headlamps today, one was cracked and they had no sidelight facility, annoying as it is, always get had at the MOT, cause I don't want to fit seperate sidelamps...Anyway some ebay special WIPAC Quadoptics will do the trick, just need some new plastic bowls, ala Mini.

Anti-Viagra

Got my wiring gaitor. Perfect! Flexible and water proof.
Started on the shortening of the gearbox shifter mechanism.
I shortened the knob before, its very short, like a quickshifter.
Useful facts :- 1300Triumph flywheel versus my super modified K-series one. 1800cc using a MUCH smaller and lighter flywheel.

Started cutting the Type9 box case up. You can see my cut leaves just enough area to replace the core-plug.
Hacked down here.
Hacked off.
2.5mm left before the oil seal for the selector rod, will punch the seal out and remove this 2.5mm next. Can't weld it on with a rubber seal there anyway. Easy hackage with a hacksaw.
Needs aligning some shaving and adjustment, tacking into place then welding on, no doubt some "pro" welder can screw that up for me?
Rough image shows the rod needs cutting off and a hole drilling for the roll pin which holds on the end shifter mech to the shaft.

So far I have the shifter 71mm further forward...I can get 75mm total. This will be the removal of the 2.5mm left before the oil seal and removal of another 1.5mm on the part I cut off. This means the bush in the shifter part will be shortened by 2.5mm.

75mm is ideal. Its then just a job of welding the shifter system back on. Then measuring the exact distance from the rear oil seal face to the coreplug area on the newly welded shifter part. The difference between these two faces, which were inline will be the distance the selector rod needs shortening, and the distance to the new hole for the rollpin. Only interesting part will be drilling the hardened rod, but I suppose it can be done at the engineering shop. The rollpin hole also needs to be at exactly the right angle, but thats easy, simply clamp the shaft in the vice on the pillar drill, insert a drill/dowel of the exact size of the hole, rotate the shaft till it drops in, then move the vice to the position to drill the new hole. Have to put a little flat on the shaft to get the drill bit to bite.

Easy job me thinks.

Also have a working megajolt system in a new location under the dash, happy with that, really neat wiring.

Fitted my new radiator, just need a fan for that.

Doubt the car will be on the road for another few months, can't be arsed rushing and will take the opportunity to do everything intended like waxoyling, the car has no rust anywhere, the chassis has never been plated or welded and was from a very low mileage car, so I wish to keep it that way.

I plan to finish the shifter this week, I can then get the box on the motor finally fitted. I can then stick the motor back in for 100th time, start making a tunnel. Once thats done its painting the thing and were onto a pleasant job of building it.

Few things

Been sorting more wiring as things needs changing about. Been removing loads of crimp connectors and soldering all the joints and using loads of heat wrap and proper connectors with soft boots. Nearly done. MJL unit and EDIS have been moved from the passenger side to driverside under the dash. Loads neater.

Front loom is done, bar shrink wrapping it and taping it up, once the bulkhead is painted and its finally set through.

Wasn't sure how to seal this hole for the loom.
Found this on ebay £3.50 diamler dart steering column gaitor, 3/4" hole, which is a tad (0.75mm) smaller than the tubing over the wire, it takes a clip to seal. I will move the red starter power lead to its own hole, with its own grommet and use this to seal the main loom, I will cut it down a bit leaving two gaitor rings left, push it through the hole, make a metal ring to fix it to the bulkhead inside using the rubber to seal, 100% sealed and flexible!

Bulkhead is complete bar 1 more piece to be added. I have worked out how to fix the gearbox tunnel down...I will make some 6mm alloy strips that will be bonded to the lip on the sides and top of the bulkheads, back to the rear of the tunnel mounting area in the tub by the handbrake, the area where the normal tunnel screws go...These strips will have their own threads in m5 1.5 size. the 6mm alloy will stop the thinner metal lips deforming and no need for those ugly clips and give a dead flat seal base and self contained threads...I can then make the tunnel from alloy, TIG welded. You'll see.


Bulkhead has had proper etch primer brushed on, a coat of two pack, brushed, I will blow some stone chip over some of it (not the areas where nuts and bolts are or brake fluid reservs) once its gone bonehard to neaten up the finish ready for a coat of white. Once thats painted I'll do the interior.

Once thats done, I'll need to wait a week for it to go bonehard, during this time I can mod the type-9 gearlever and start on the tunnel.

This is the only wiring on the bulkhead, bar the crank sensor wire, very very minimal! I have to fill millions of holes as all the stock loom holes are now not needed. Thats the lot, what you there is all thats on the bulkhead!

I will make some little covers for all the holes, from 0.75mm alloy and adheseal them on.
Decent alloy radiator, another ebay bargain, 2kilos lighter than the brass one.
This is the finalised loom inside, the vertical part just needs a clip holding it onto the bulkhead, removed loads of messy wiring by moving the ignition wiring under the drivers side dash area, EDIS and brain box are now hidden from sight and the loom can be removed from behind the dash in one unit.

I want to fit a better fuse box, with screw down connections, do some small jobs to the main electrical box which sits behind the passenger seat on the rear "seat". Also relocate the current inners of the "lunch" box into a proper water sealed conduit box, raise this off the shelf on a mounting plate as in the flooding on the way to the Ring it was nearly soaked.

I will come to my decision on the 10CR this weekend, I cannot be arsed to rush, its nice to just do bits right, might do take me time, its not like building a standard car! Everything has be to designed and made, assessed, modified.

Its coming together...I do doubt it will see the road till October though. Not that bothered. Basically just needs to be ready for next year, then I can come out to Triumph meets have some fun and cause some trouble!