Distractions

Made some progress on a few bits. Been distracted from the main event by a side project or two.


I decided its just not sensible to have a roadcar I intend to use whenever I want, with a hardtop on but no heater. So I picked up a heater unit today. It needs some paint and whatever. I broke it down into parts to add to my powdercoating box, flushed the inside of the elements. I made sure it would fit in with my plans anyway. I won't plumb it up initially as I want to just assess the water system as it stands first. I am actually toying with the idea of fitting the latest pressure relief thermostat unit they fit to Lotus,MGFs and Freelanders, refitting another mechanical pump. Nothing against the EWP, range of reasons . I can use all the hoses and pipeworks, I have made on either system anyway. I have to carefully design my water rail for taking water out of the engine to the radiator, as this needs to now account for and be useable with two water systems, and a heater. I need to plan this carefully.



I still remember one wet dark night at rush hour in Northampton when on the ring road system I just had such a bad time. It was steamed over inside on every window and I couldn't see any signs or do anything bar collision avoidance. It was really bad.

The drive to the Ring was ok, but really not ideal in similar conditions :) the road was quiet and wide but again couldn't see nothing!

Heater will help with that and keep my feet warm. With the exhaust out the side you won't get that long journey heat build up under the floorpans and gearbox area, not as much anyway.

I was also keen on redoing the dashboard, as it was a temporary affair before, something really light from alloy that spans the width of the cockpit, covered in some black vinyl. Saves staring at a load of heater, pipes, wiring and neatens it up.

Not sure about this extra rollcage bar to hold the steering column, might add something a bit more sutble for now.

I removed the dashtop, that will probably not go back on as there is nice shiney white paint under it. Dashtop not really important it is (bar to your forehead if you are in the passenger seat with no belt on). Also offsets some of the mass added with the heater. The basic engine is over 36kilos lighter than the 1300 anyway, so a 1kilo or two won't hurt :)

Kind of distracted from the main business of making a gearbox tunnel and getting some paint on.

I don't want to be crawling all over the freshpaint inside, drilling new holes and bashing it up so ever item has to be fitted, sized, adjusted and whatever, so its quite time consuming.

This engine swaps been a marathon :) I can't see it seeing daylight till early next year. Some gentle testing and mileage, tuning of the engine, getting any issues sorted...Looking at the bigger picture I'll be keen to just cruise about and enjoy it for a little while :-D. Then it needs some tougher rear suspension, before going on any tracks...

I haven't changed a thing on the chassis since it was going round Combe. It should be just as I left it, working well with a touch too much understeer. I don't intend to do anything to the chassis at all before its running again, just to feel how much difference it makes moving the engine back 4inches and reducing its mass by 29%! I have a feeling that my understeer maybe gone!

11months since I picked up my K-series engine. Kind of forgotten what its like to drive...