Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Seating

Chopped and painted.
Bolted my bar in.

Shorten the belts, thats all setup and complete.
Comfy!

Crap-Fest 2

Stripped all this and cleaned it up. Good job too. Now ready for putting together "properly".Some of CanleyClassics truely AWFUL cast monkey junk hubs, these are the originals made by dumb and dumber, cast from the original steel unit with NO thought as to the fact ALLOY is WEAKER.

Cast from totally the wrong material, they split around the bearing race unless you drive like grandma, then bearing tracks fall out (they do that anyway as the material used is shat, it expands like buggery in harduse (big brakes) situations and the bearing tracks work loose), not suprising looking at them, they are shockingly bad.

I've seen splits on the original steel ones, I wouldn't fit these unless I had a DEATHWISH.
This one hasn't even been 1 mile on the road and it's already cracked.
SHOCKING. You buy this stuff, you must be NUTS! Those alloy wishbones for rotoflex that are now cast from some smelted down old pistons and not machined from billet are another example of the most dangerous clueless / shocking engineering.

This material is not at all suited to a "sheer" component.

Please ensure your life insurance is ok, they may cost £55 each but your life is surely worth more? Please if you have these parts fitted and my car is near yours on a trackday, please tell me first and I can avoid you when they snap and you spear off the track.

I have some of these shocking wishbones to consider fitting to this car, I don't like them AT ALL. Not on my car please.



These wishbones are the most stupid thing I have ever seen! The mould shinkage is a highly amusing, the outer bush hole has 6mm material around the eyelet on one wishbone, the other is the one that will snap, it's got massive shinkage, down to 3.8mm!!! I couldn't bring myself to sell such utter tatt.

I am sure the maker will bang on about how they are fine, when drive at 30mph around Donnington maybe? try a few days at Nurburgring or a few races, try smacking a few curbs on track and tell me you are convinced?

More money down the drain!
Who puts stuff together without removing the powdercoating from an interference fit joint or fitting surface?? Answer = silly person.
I pull the hubs off the stub axles and the grease seals come out with the bearing, why? Cause some prat fitted them backwards.
Same prat who greased these new uprights and trunnions. Dunno what this grease it but that's now gone. It's too thick it's like hardened bile.
Above shows how not to pack a hub, completely full? Filled by dumb and dumber brothers? Grease in hubs needs to be half packed to allow it to move, or it will all come out or never move and the bearings will fail. All this muck would be have been released out the back of the hubs and sprayed all over the discs and pads, ruining them.

Good job someone checked the disc to hub bolts, some were mega tight, some half done up?

As I said this car needs a REAL check total strip down, I tested two of "kevins" (appropriate name, his misses must be Sally) homemade braided brake lines at my mates the other day, one exploded at about 100psi!

WRONG!!!!
WRONG.

Marks = 0/10. FAIL!

Looks like a candidate for a hub and stub axle swap.

As you can see the powder coating on the uprights is useless, so I washed it off, exposing a lovely looking brand new set of uprights complete with silver plating on them with new OE trunnions. Better than the Caterham options with those horrible lower bearing carriers.


Just have to clean up this upright with a flap disc, press out the old stub axles then remove the lower wishbones from the chassis, remove them cause someone left masking tape on them and hammered them into the chassis, if you powdercoat stuff, make sure you remove the masking tape and excess coating before fitting the stuff to a car :) :) :) Duh.

Anyways, after this is done I can do what I can while I await some new hubs.

Even if those hubs weren't split I'd tell Matt to bin them anyway, THEY WILL BREAK. I even called the owner to confirm where they came from cause they looked like total junk.

Sorry nothing positive today :) :) :)

Maybe another day!

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Crap-Fest

Starting with something good.

My belt bar. Perfect!
Last of OE trackrods to fit on the "infidel" on the other side of the garage.
After much much hassle with "work" ~ " muppet assembly" done by the previous idoit I got a working steering rack, the roll-bar on. God what hassle. Took 3x longer than it should, thats the story of this car.

You know I added up the labour on my car otherday...@ £25 per hour it's had £90,000 worth of labour on it.
Had to have the steering column in and out 3x to sort out the total mess he made of anything related to anything relating to everything thats on this car. Every time I unbolt something the bolts are welded in, there's stripped threads, threads full of paint, 20x layers of paint slapped all over tolerance surfaces...There really is ONLY one answer for this car, if it was mine anyway, crush it, or seriously, strip the thing down completely and rebuilt it properly.

Everything I touch is bodged...I go to remove the door striker plate earlier, guess what, metric screws in the holes and the threads are all manged.

I am sick of it! I only have to put a finger on it and I get depressed. Lucky only a few more days of pain and undoing "work" "destruction" by some other person and it'll be gone.

Things are taking longer than planned, which is good for bank balance, but bad for my will to live.
Few examples of what I mean. Why rewire the car but leave on the "melted and hardened" wires from the steering column switches? Red and blue one is smelted.

Below is another example of a "idoit" engineering.
Shot blasted, then powdercoated, great, left the bare metal bit dry and I had to heat it up to redheat to unstick it to actually fit the steering column joint or make the two piece column come apart! That was steering removal one.
Also the powdercoating hadn't been removed the column extension part was jammed on the powdercoating cause some twit has just "hammered" it into place cause it was tight...Tight cause it was full of powdercoating, so the column wasn't adjustable...Why fit this stuff to a car before you have done the basics? Tart up job, this car is a nightmare. Above shows this resolved and checked to work before fitment number two.
Above shows the column back out again after checking it all fitted...Above shows the "bare metal" that was brown with rust before, this has been "blued" to stop corrosion and heat sealed and lubed up. As it should be!

Blueing in progress above.

Also why on earth do you fit the steering column with the splines all full of muck and powdercoating, again above shows the end heated with a blow torch and wire brushed so it's actually in a fit state to mate to the column joint.

What an idoit. Everything on this car needs stripping down and redoing, the builder was a total and utter idoit.

I also had to "recut" or "reslot all the splines with a grooving tool as some idoit, probably the other bloke wacked it in and damaged the first 2mm of the splines last time the joint was fitted.
This is how it was, I assumed it was knackered as there was no way it was gonna fit the column joint.

Load's of "spaghetti" or mindless snake charming to do under here.....?

After roughly 6hrs of toil and trouble I did 2hrs of work, 3-4hrs sorting work of such a low standard, basically just fitting the rack and roll bar.

I'd rather work on a "wreck" than something thats so badly put together.

Also wasted more time rethreading some other messed up cross threaded bolts...

Some people SHOULDN'T be let near a car, the bloke who built this was a PERFECT EXAMPLE.

Tomorrow I will strip the uprights, wash out the "shat" used to fill the wheel bearings and assemble the front suspension. Also clean up the upright that was chopped, paint that and refit it. Then the front can sit on it's wheels again and I can busy on the back-end. Then it can roll out the garage and leave for a new life elsewhere, probably driving everyone who comes into contact with it total nuts.

I am determined to "debodge" atleast some of this car!

Last time I get involved with this type of car. It drove the last builder nuts, it's driven me nuts and it's time for it to drive someone else nuts.

I can't say a good word about ANYTHING on it, sorry Matt! We'll settle up when you collect it.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Llandow Trackday - Open to any vehicles

http://www.sideways-technologies.co.uk/forum/Blah.pl?m-1228517496/

You may wish to view this thread.

Nice relaxed open-pitlane day @ Llandow in April/May.

Taking deposits now, dates finalised in the next few weeks.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Daily Musing

First of 2 pairs of carbs for some 1500/1300 Triumphs left today.

Set of DHLA40E's for Toby. Comes with a lifetime quarantee, honestly....


Odd job, refacing some Ferrari 308 discs. Warped to buggery and grooved up.
I am just about at that stage I can devote a week to this Spitfire below. Then the owner can have it back for a period or perminantly. Trying to find a mobile TIG welder atm to come and do some jobs, pain the arse.

Once that is done I can clear out.

Had a manic couple of weeks sorting out all remaining stuff I need to do before I gut the garage and get ready for next week.

Had a nice 8hr chat with GT the other day which will lead to some interesting developements in the very near future. None of which involve dealing with massive brainchewing projects.

I am currently changing my business arrangements in light of next years plans, sticking loads of time into that.

Also I have been looking at some cars and trying to find another one in the next few weeks. Thats time consuming. No Poker for 3 weeks :)

Infact I been in bed at 4am and up at 9am for two weeks I am buggered. Bar last Sunday when I slept for 12hrs.

Aim this week is to find a mota, do some more business bits, packup everything related to that Spitfire and tidy up a bit and next week I hope bar one set of carbs (2days solid work) I have nothing on the boiler. I want this Spitfire gone ASAP but I don't want to be distracted once I get on it. I hope a week solid should get the back-end finished. Life would be alot easier if TLD sent more than a few parts he got from Canley.

Also it would be easier if Canley actually fitted the wheel studs not just poked them in the holes...I gotta take the bloody hubs apart to press the studs in, can't wind the bastard in cause they are tight as a nun's watsit, the whole idea of sending this stuff back there was to save hassle...I give up! I try hard not be too critical, but what can you do when your opinions are constantly compounded.

Monday, December 08, 2008

Poor Jony :)

Giving the kid a hand to build a stonker 2000cc 6cyl, he was here today and we inspected all the parts.

Bless his little heart he gave me a head, cam, valves, crank, valve springs. Witor valves which are not ideal, too penny on a stick and not enough shape off the stem towards the seat, exhaust valves look"better" though.

Head suffers from massive core shift, so is NOT suitable for any performance work, it's REALLY bad, it'll loose him 10-15HP I think, 2-2.5mm of shift!! instead of compremising his entire engine I told him to find another one, also crack between 1 cyl valves.

You need to start on a GOOD basis to get power! I don't wanna work with junk.

I also told him the cam was rubbish and he took that away, measured it and it's all over the place, Piper grind 300deg.

So the hunt begins for a NICE head, cam of less duration, crank was ok, but it maybe cheaper to buy a new one, nitride or turtride once material is assessed.

Engine will run Emerald ECU and fuel injection.

Also on the hunt for some decent pistons such at Toyota etc. Be nice to make a 2150cc engine etc.

I am honest about this, I won't work with scrap...You wanna a job done, do it once, and right!

Not very productive then, I gave him a lesson or two, so he can source some better parts...Education of people is important, informed people bring you decent stuff to work with?! Secrets help noone!

I really want to make a monster. I was hoping to get started on the head...so the bits are shelved for now.

Been a busy few weeks, I haven't sat down hardly.

Need to finish of the Spitfire in the garage and get it on it's wheels and get that away while it's owner sorts out the exhaust, maybe that could come back at some point.

Then I am clearing the garage out, sorting some new shelving and benches and getting it cleaner than a surgery room.

Hopefully I'll be free to kick off next years plans in mid Jan.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Free, Easy and Informative Car Debates

Taking place all day @ Sideways-Technologies

http://www.sideways-technologies.co.uk

Sign up TODAY!

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

And......

My welding is finally done. Picked up this morn.
Just a few hours cleaning it up.

Belt bar done.
TIG.
Shotblast that and the last stuff can finally go to the powdercoaters sometime soonish.
£40 for all the welding to the tunnel and the belt bar, bargain! Shame it's all over for now.



Sunday, November 23, 2008

Leadership, Control, Political correctness and the results.

Suggest getting a coffee this a LONG rant.

A ruling clique is a group of people who jointly rule an oligarchic form of government.

Ruling cliques generally differ from another type of oligarchy: a military junta. Military juntas are always ruled by military personnel (often high-ranking like general).

A ruling clique can include people from various professions.

The ruling elites who comprise the leadership tend to form a council, political party, or another form of an organized group.

The high ranking members share a rough balance of power although sometimes one or more members seek to increase their power at the expense of others, or some of them may attempt to transform the system into an autocracy or make it more democratic.

Some ruling cliques could be considered a form of aristocracy while others are based on a very small circle of rulers rather than a broader based organization such as a political party. In some cases, the entire ruling clique is composed of a council of leaders who are the only members of the clique.

Problems happen when the clique’s territory becomes over-run with people with opposing values, views and goals.

Or one person has the following or powers to enlighten people or join them together to such as extent the clique is at risk of their territory being taken over.

Call that guy Robin Hood.

Turf wars are common in such situations. Also the use of people who are meek and mild to execute reformation of the clique and clawing back of territory which was taken, territory that was offered to others.

The turf war could take many obvious shapes.

There is the most obvious of all, Political correctness bandwagon.

You could start a process by deprioritising certain elements of a forum, such as problem areas like general discussions and giving them less prime locations.

Ultra fascists may look at the deprioritising of the space in which non-clique are inhabiting; especially those people viewed as undesirable by ruling powers. Firstly by moving their chat section down to the bottom of a forum.

Making constant whimpering noises when they feel something is a bit too much for their comfort zone.

By using the excuse of not upsetting anyone, the politically correct are demanding that people behave like the fool who would please everyone; that everyone must become such a fool!

All must accept the notions of the Politically Correct as truth, or else!
This is the same mentality that inspired the Inquisition and forced Galileo to recant; the same mentality that inspired the Nazis and obtained the Holocaust.

Once expression gets placed in a straitjacket of official truth, then the madness that occurs in all totalitarian states is obtained.

Life, in private and public, becomes a meaningless charade where delusion thrives and terror rules.

This is mutton dressed as lamb.

Usually the most evil fascist people are parading as the most sincere.

They hunt out and desire jobs as moderators on forums and privately masturbate over their new found powers.

They actively seek to drive out individuals who are not fitting into the clique’s scheme of things, as above examples show.

By using the excuse of not upsetting anyone, the politically correct are demanding that people behave like the fool.

Have you ever stopped to wonder why 40% of people don't bother to vote anymore? Have you ever stopped to wonder why, which ever party is in power, nothing ever gets any better; in fact gets worse the more control that is levered in.

The answer is simple - political correctness. This left wing ideology has very cleverly, and by stealth, replaced old school British values.

We can associate this to many things, including internet forums run by groups of left wingers.

No-one dare suggest or stand up to any policy that is not politically correct or given by figures of authority, otherwise the PC Brigade/clique will label them the 'nasty' party and “work” on them till they leave.

Witness the similar events in politics such as the Conservative party policy U turns. In a desperate effort to lose their 'nasty' party label they have become Blue Labour, a slightly diluted form of New Labour!

Now so entangled in the mess that they have created, they have actually lost their own identities and destroyed their own self image, the very thing that drew people to them.

This is all while the image of undesirable non-clique is left undamaged, bar within the minds of the cliques themselves.

It’s hard to not actually being able to see the wood for the trees.
Direct parallels throughout history can be directly drawn upon and related to what has happened to certain internet forums.

Evidence of this effect is amply demonstrated by the Soviets, who embraced Political Correctness with the Communist Revolution. Look at the lumbering, pompous, impoverished, humourless monster this Nation became as is now History. Does one need to quote further?

Political correctness pleases a very small minority at the expense of all others. It’s not reasonable to expect to please all of the people all of the time and this leads to where we are today.

You back yourself into such a corner with constantly changing boundaries that are applied differently to each person you dislike. These decisions end up taking form or power from vastly ranging situations, where decisions are made on a “we need to get rid of him basis” rather than any logical or reliably ruling. Things get MORE absurd the more people you need to remove.

This total lack of parity means that no one bar your own clique respects your ideals, values or authority. You become a constant joke, you alienate people to such as extent they leave you in droves and then they see you as a laughing stock, yet you see yourself as a saviour.

I remember being told things could be so much better if I changed the odd word here and there by one official.

I remember being embraced by clique for a while and I remember this little piece of advice as key to entering it.

Entering into somewhere I had no interest in going. Attempts made to mould me into something that better suited certain people’s ultra conservative views.

I had no interest in changing myself to fit in with the ideals of a few fascists. I do not expect to be lectured by another adult or come to a forum to be told how to behave; especially by people who fit into a small minority of ultra conservative gumbos.

People have overestimated their importance. People who underestimated the importance of people like me in the success of what their turf had become.

Unless plain speaking is allowed, clear thinking is denied.

There can be no good reason for denying freedom of expression, there is no case to rebut, only the empty slogans of people inspired by selfishness and unrestrained by morality.

The proponents of this PC nonsense neither understand the implications of what they say, nor why they are saying it: they are insane. They cannot be expected to make constant and unprejudiced decisions as they are mentally imbalanced, go on witchhunts, chat privately alot or suffer some overly sensitive mentality where they view everything they read from the perspective of someone else, someone who maybe offended.

Now, in the 2008 the results of being bourgeois (retaining traditional notions), is being labelled racist, sexist etc. and risk losing your job, your reputation, being jostled in the street, kicked off a forum, being subject to judicial penalty and scorn.

And it is this very extremity of reaction that has won media attention and the name Political Correctness, though the reaction will become even more unpleasant with the next generation.

A community declines when the majority of its citizens become selfish, and under this influence it slowly dismantles all the restraints upon self-indulgence established by manners, customs, beliefs and law: tradition.

As each subsequent generation of selfish citizens inherits control of the community, it takes its opportunity to abandon more of the irksome restraints that genius and wisdom had installed. The proponents of this social demolition achieve their irrational purpose by publicly embracing absurdity through slogans while vilifying any who do not support their stance. (see how people with their OWN minds that have been resisting the authority and current direction being enforced upon on a certain forum are being treated).

The purpose of this clean-up is to enshrine irrational fears, or fancies, as truth, the concerns of some ruling powers are displayed through the use of presumptuous words, constant belittling, stale rhetoric, warnings and resultant public pronouncements:

Dissembles the real nature of the claim.

Identifies any dissenters as enemies of the truth.

Acts as an excuse for any crimes committed in its name.

We can all relate to this.

To attempt to point out the odious nature of Political Correctness is to restate the crucial importance of plain speaking, freedom of choice and freedom of speech; these are the community's safe-guards against the imposition of tyranny, indeed their absence is tyranny.

Which is why any such restrictions on expression such as those invoked by public decency, are grave matters to be decided by each person, if you do not like something, there is no requirement to read it, have we lost all ability to have conviction in our beliefs?

If something pisses me off the LAST thing I’d do is whimper to a moderator, I’d either ignore it, or present my case and you better stand back if I don’t agree; such issues are all part of life and no problem for me to deal with, they should be decided not by the dictates of the clique, but resolved in your own mind. This gives you STRENGTH, power, EXACTLY what the PC band wagon wants to remove. They want you to be quiet, non thinking and compliant.

I think PC has robbed certain people of the powers of conviction, you know, being a rock, a man, instead it’s turned people into whinging old women who go and complain to the powers that be cause that’s what political correctness has given them…
The ability to label a person as bad, racist etc and then click a button knowing someone will come and save their ass. Get a LIFE!!!

Well that’s not how I go about business. I am quite happy to defend myself, as are all the other banned people, oddly we all share one thing in common, we didn’t respect the self imposed authority of a few fascists and we were/are willing to stand up for what we felt was right.

Especially when it was related to a place we all enjoyed and loved, a place that’s been on self destruct for 24months.

Ever since that chitchat section was moved.

That’s enough for now.

I hate PC fascists who haven’t even got a clue of the long term effects of the disease they are spreading, stick to reading the DailyMail and stop fucking up the world.

You haven't the brainpower to work out what you are doing, where it is going and that YOU are a puppet.

This is a view of how it looks from the outside.

Getting praise from a moderator for entering into the spirit must be a real insult to anyone.

Who wants to be told off, lectured, praised and rewarded by the same person, especially someone spreading such disease as I write about, not me.

I'd find being talked up and down by a 50 year Daily Mail reader from Up'North a real insult.

I'd want to slap him. It's just so vomit enducing.

Can you not see whats pissing people off and making you a laughing stock, it's treating people like you're their bloody nanny!

Clueless! No idea about people, wrong person/s for the job!

If you change we might like you, GET LOST!?

(1hr and 5mins later), Ciao.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Hia-CHOP!

Piccies in the wrong order?!Fits in the boot easy.
A hole.

Pre-Hole. It's all gone a bit floppy so will need gentle handling while the first new sections are added, should be no issue at all to add the strenght back in just need to keep it in shape for now and really stiffen it up...Then the fun is fitting it, bolting it down and making sure the removeable section still fits as it will warp when its bolted down......Some adjustment maybe needed, ie big hammer.

Suppose you could deseam the front edge too, the lid is in good order, but could use a few repairs if time is to be invested in it. I painted it before as it would be ok, but if making the effort to go this far, I can do a few repairs and ensure it'll stay good.

Hardtop

It's looking worried, I marked out a square in the middle earlier and placed the powersaw next to it....

One job that would be pleasing to complete...

Hard/Soft/Targa top.

Actually the idea was to just cut a square out the roof, keep this square and then use it as a targa, the square can be stored in the boot, behind the seats or I could bond on some retaining sections to the bonnet and store it over the engine.

Obviously once the square is cut I can add a section/lip around the hole in the roof, on the inside at 90deg to the roof surface so making an open-box, this will add in any stength removed.

Actually I could "brace the roof" and stengthen it further using the box section as a frame to add in some braces/ improve the mounting points at the front and hard bolt it to the windscreen frame without seal using "dumdum", no not dumb and dumber.

I can then make another half box section around the inside of the hole, not part of the roof, giving somewhere to locate the targa section via Dues Fasterners...I can make this section just big enough to squeeze a seal between it and the first additional lip welded to the roof...I can bolt the two pieces together with the seal squeezed between you know a seal with a flange that has a small bead sticking out the top, designed for panel sealing...The original roof section can then drop into place and seal against the special "panel seal" section and be held by small aero dues fixings...Sounds complex, it's not I knock the lot up with some half box section in no time.

The additional roof section will need the same angle iron/sheet adding to it...

Only tricky bit is bending the angle sections to fit the roof shape, probably an oxy/acl job down the engineering shop.

Suppose I could beat a targa panel from some alloy sheet with a sand bag and dolly, 2mm then use alloy angle section on that...saves a kilo and stiffer.

Latest Gareth Thomas Tuning Innovations - PARTS THAT WORK

Building a fast 4-6cyl engine?

I'd REALLY make sure you have a word with GT.

Aren't we sick to death of Ford Cams, funny valves that never worked? Pistons that never worked? Exhausts that don't work?

Bored of the same old tuning tatt sold year on year from all the usual suspects? Stuff that never worked in the first place, sure as hell doesn't work now it's on it's 5th evolution by Dumb and Dumber??

Well there really is NO reason to buy poorly executed products anymore.

admin(at)jagclub.ru

Or catch him @ my Forum.

http://www.sideways-technologies.co.uk

I think soon you'll be able to pickup anything from Valve Springs that actually work and won't just destroy your cam and followers/seats, TerryTune/Jigsaw ones are all FAR FAR too hard. Thats why they rip the pedestals to bits and why you are advised to buy billet pedestals? I never needed those and had no bounce @ 7800rpm using single ford springs that were soft as butter compared to the others I seen.

Valves that are actually designed and tested for these engines? Valve caps/collets in lightweight materials that don't fall apart. Maybe even a NEW design of STEEL crank? Forged Pistons for Any Triumph engine incl Dolly.

Also GT has a new revision of his book out now or very soon, this is VERY MUCH worth a read and this BY far the best reference material ANYWHERE for Triumph engines/cars.

Almost makes me want to get back into Triumph engines, there was nothing worth buying in the market AT ALL before.

Now it's all coming to together, despite the best efforts of certain cretins to put a stop to it. I can thank these cretins for my own forum. We can talk openly and freely and get somewhere, I think the forum has played it's part in these products, although a small part.

We can get on with ideas and innovations/debate without mechanically retarded minders watching over us. You know the type of people who get confused changing a spark plug but go out their way to protect their mates...I must say I am VERY glad to be away from such people.

You can't keep a genuinely gifted guy down, I wish GT all the VERY best with his new products, cause I am genuinely excited to see genuinely exciting innovations arriving after YEARS of "Dumb and Dumber" tuning and parts.

You'd be foolish NOT to buy his valves and parts if in the market for a FAST engine that lasts.

Buying his book is a good place to start.

You need guys like GT, the market is BADLY let down by the current lot if you ask me, unless you like wasting money? No performance or engineering experience = poor products, copies and rehashes. With GT's stuff you get something thats been engineered/tested and actually works. Oddly all the best race engines are built by people you never heard of, despite what you maybe told by some motormouth.

Good old GT should be held high and rewarded for the phenominal efforts/cash he has put into these products...

Part of the reason my old 1300 contained NO tuning parts AT ALL, none of it was worth using, yet my engine stuck out stacks more power than the "Dumb and Dumber" engines, this has finally changed and I'd gladly impart some cash on something that has been tested to work.

Good times ahead for the tuning market! Finally!



Good old Gareth is at it again.

Make sure you give the plasma plugs a look, they are going down very well with members of my forum. Some details on various threads.

You want to get the best from your car?

There is ONLY one Forum to be on.

That's Sideways-Technologies.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Mojo

Dunno where its' gone, have you see it?

Life has been a number of small obsessions that have ended quickly, abruptly and in totality.

I have been fearing this has been happening to my enjoyment of working on the car/s, probably in the last 10months on a sloping scale, now being at the very bottom.

I have seen a real decline in my enjoyment to the point where I am not really getting any pleasure from it, so whats the point?

This is nothing new for me, I have seen the cycle before relating to other things, whether it was my obsessional cycling for a couple of years, partying and socialising in the mid 90's, I was out everynight for 5 years!! I only went home to sleep.

I spent all my time sim-racing for a few years, reached the very highest level possible, something snapped in my head and I really did just stop, immediately, 1hr later I retired and never did another lap in that simulator.

I had a real dose of this before towards the end of that E-type project, with that project as much as anything, but this is worse as I can't even find the motivation to work on my own car atm!

The Jaguar perverted my enjoyment of doing car related things in personal time, which I was enjoying ALOT at that period.

As such I haven't been the garage for a week, trying to just get some space back, things have been on my mind for ages, I am worried i'll wear it out :) not even opened the door this week, something really quite miraculous is gonna need to happen.

It's no use thinking supportive talk, words etc will help, this is a problem that there is no answer to, bar a change. I know how this works.

No issues with my car off and using it. However the tanks are empty for now, totally empty.

I think the underlying facts of my "enjoyment corruption" maybe down to the fact I am just burnt out after this project, I put alot into this stuff, I don't really have the tools to do the work, I have to go out and do stuff here and there and run about and it's all a bit of a pain the arse.

I mean i must be up to 1800hrs on it...

I don't doubt my abilities. However they are useless without enjoyment and motivation.

There is another problem which is really busting my head atm and thats the fact imagine how nice it would be to know once I have finished this battle I can relax and get a break and find out my I used to enjoy fiddling with cars again.

Sadly this impossible due to the fact I have, maybe foolishly, taken on another project. I mean there is no end to this pain now, thats how I see it atm, maybe this will change. I felt taking on this project was a sound idea at the time as I was riding a good wave of motivation and having just got shot of the Jag it seemed a good idea.

However since then I have found it increasingly difficult to want to spend long sessions in the garage. Also I decided to take my car to a higher level around december 07 and this has really been a painful and numbing experience to be honest. I really don't understand how things can take so long, cause so much pain and grief.

Knowing I have all this to come again is really really causing me to retract from things atm, I have this knot in my gut. I am not sure where to go from here, but I am not really happy with things atm.

I'd quite like to get out of this lark immediately, or just get away from it for a while, each time I get grief over this stuff it just adds to the weight on my shoulders, something will just crack oneday cause the foundations are laid on some pretty fragile footings. If that happens you may see me again in the future, doing something else, well.

I'd also like to get more routine in my life atm. Maybe this is a turning 30 thing...I think for sure it's something to do with my evident season effects problem, this summer has been bad for me, I need the sun, I didnt get any, now I am at the start of another winter and feeling rather pee'd off about everything. I'd quite like to clear my plate completely and just make a fresh start with something new.

Sorry, just some feelings laid out on paper.

Not asking for anything from my readers, no poor old Dave stories etc, support just gets on my nerves to be honest :)

Just explaining why my project maybe taking more time than expected. I am lacking Mojo.

So call the last week a holiday, it's done nothing for my motivation on the car though!

I have been finding alot of enjoyment playing Poker. I have found I have a great skill here, and over the last week I have doubled my deposit at PartyPoker, played over 5000hands on 4 tables at a time and made 100% profit. Poker gambling, sure, however it's not classed as gambling in some countries as the skill level involved is so great you could take 10years of constant practice to perfect your game and you'll still learn all the time. It's such a deep game on all levels.

Maybe this is my new obsession? I have certainly made my mark at PartyPoker, I changed my username this week and started a fresh using all the lessons I have learned. People fear me, I usually dominate a table and everyone leaves after a while. In fact I raise and everyone folds, I win most hands I am in. I get ALOT respect from the players that are clearly most experienced and best on the tables I play. Alot of people have said "man your good" etc...I have only been playing 6months! Some of these guys have been playing YEARS. So evidently I have a gift for poker..

I have experimented with different play methods, playing like a rock all day, looser play and come to a nice medium in the middle and started to read players really well, as result my game is coming on really well, although I have so much to learn, I have outgrown the low dollar tables I am playing...

Poker is one of the most difficult games there is on your mind, as you must control your brain and your basic instincts and be incontrol of your ego at all times. You must always play the way that works, never be effect by Tilt, after loosing a few hands you must remain as cool as ice or you'll donk your chips off trying to rush getting the cash back...

My intension is try to make a bankroll from nothing and progress from a minimum deposit of £25 turning this into £200, then to move up a step on the tables to $10 buy-in, not $5, then move up again at £500 to $25. If you are sensible poker is played by never buying into a table with more than 1/20th of your bankroll. So you can cover any "lucky/unlucky" spells, everyone gets busted sometime.

So I need to stick on these cheap tables for sometime yet, a few high tourament results could easily boost my bankroll quickly. I could have more this week but I have been experimenting with my game still, and a result I have willingly wasted some of the money I had made.

I played before ages ago and quadrupled from deposit in 2days but having FAR experience I had brought into tables with my 1/2 my desposit and soon went broke...Thats why the 1:50 rule is important to long-term success...

Poker is a job you can do anywhere with a net connection at anytime of day 24hrs a day 365 days a year....

When you get onto the $25-50 buyin tables you could make a LIVING from poker if you are GOOD. You'll need a $2500 bankroll though. ALOT of people do, you make your money from casual players and muppets who come to gamble etc..They dont mind loosing, they are the bread and butter of the poker professional, you can spot them in moments.

Doing it this way you can play for free and work from nothing.

Who knows alot of people make alot of money from Poker. Provided they follow the 1:20 rule or even better a 1:50 rule.

I find an almost meditational headspace when playing, the concentration level required is very high, 1hr can be gone in what seems like a few mins!

You have to watch all the players, how they bet when they are strong, weak, which are tight, loose, crap, good, wild, rocklike etc, which to respect, which to abuse, which to bully, which to rev up with some cocky remarks, who goes on tilt...

Then you need to size and calculate the size of your own bets to give the information / misinformation about hand, you need to understand which players are smart and will be reading your bets etc.. Its such a skillful game and it's so psychological which I like. I never afraid to beat myself up mentally to improve my performance and have the ability to look at myself from a 3rd person perspective, which is very usefull in poker.

Studying all the players, making notes. I make most of my cash targeting donkies, just outplaying them cause they play a pair, two pairs FAR FAR too strong, just bust them with 3 of kind of a hidden straight or flush etc or read their weak bets and call them bluffing. Playing loose players at their own game.

I'd never just buy in alot of my own cash, you need to start at the bottom and work up, gain experience, look at it as career....it could take sometime to get £1000 from £25.

One pro made $12000 in 12months from NOTHING, he played free tournaments and worked his way up as I said on the 1:20 rule...Anything is possible.

I came very close to qualifying into a $2,000,000 tournament this week and could still do it.

So I have found some pleasure there!

Waffle over.
Peace please!

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Few more steps

Sorted my steering limiting on the one side. No need on the other. I found a large driveshaft nut and split it in two, so it fitted around the rack just behind the swivel joint, this then beaches on the inside of the recess on the alloy casting that houses the pinion. So it locks in the same way as normal but the nut acts as a spacer. I welded the two halves of the nut back together in-situ and tacked this to the inner most locknut of the swivel joint assembly. Nice job and does what it was meant to, and saved me taking the rack apart and the addition spacer/nut can be removed with the locknut it was tacked to.

Also sanded down all my valances and scotch clothed then ready for coating.

Just need to make the last piece for the driver side, out of sheet annoyingly.

Need to go and pickup a LOAD of alloy sheet anyway, for some mad valance construction on the other car.

I will order the pipe for the exhaust later this week, then hopefully I can have that cracked very soon...

Then ermmm....That's it, well obviously some other stuff, but nothing big...should be ALOT easier to tune than some 300deg cam triumph engine. I'd hope to have it jetted to good spec in an afternoon pottering about....I think I can knockup a pretty optimised ignition map that would require no major adjustment, atleast once the MAP readings are matched to what they would relate to on a TPS map.

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Few more steps

Finished off a few details on the tunnel, front end is finished, rear just needs a little welding and a scotch cloth session, then can be painted etc. Some deformation after welding, so bashed it back into shape.
Made a panel to link the dash to the tunnel/radio frame. This dash setup will be even stiffer than stock, I'd go as far as to say I'd expect a noticeable tighter feeling around the front cockpit with no shakes or rattles. It's solid as a rock.

Just the last few jobs then the exhaust...still waiting on a some V-bands cause they are not a normal size. I've never finished anything completely before using it or testing it, so it's hard going after 2 years...so I hope it's worth the pain...Atleast if it all works you don't have to do anything bar use it?!

Monday, October 27, 2008

Coils

My leads aren't ideal as they need the length changing and the end fittings changed, atleast ideally. Although not important for testing, they could use the correct ends on really as the spark plugs are heavily recessed so the bore could use a seal to stop filling with water, junk etc.

May look into swapping to the EU3 system, consists of coils that sit on the rocker cover, so direct power feed to the one plug and a short lead to the other 1-4, 2-3, wasted spark. Neater job. No immediate need.

These coils fit on the rocker cover under a plastic cover. See what turns up on Fleabay.


The bulkhead would have nothing on it then, bar the pedals and horn!

Exhausting

Well, done the can shell. Knocked up a front mount, doesn't do much, and not really needed. But adds some support.
Roughly knocked up a tailpipe. Needs polishing and finishing. Can be angled around.
Joined the two halves by making a tight fitting ring from some of the left over can.
I could get this neatly TIG'ed. However, I think it's better to add/make another ring on the outside from some 2mm alloy and bolt the two halves together on some M4 fixings, 6 each side, 12 in total. Gives me the option of adding something else or removing something etc. Can be taken apart.
I need some more baffle tube as my new silencer turned out to be a road legal one. Some debate of the overall function on the forum. Will remain straight through.

Also waiting on some V-bands to arrive, then I just need to get the tubing and finish the pipework, will just get 3 bends made from the angles on my template and get them welded together. I can tack them in situ and take them somewhere to be welded. Allows me to get it bang on I guess.

Only jobs bar this are to just finish off the alloy bits (valances, tunnel) and get them coated.

Many other small jobs have also been done, but nothing worth a mention.

Once the exhaust is on, there is no reason, provided all mechanical things work as intended, that it cannot run and drive and be MOT'ed right away. Oh I need to get the seat belt strap bar finished off.





Noticed this FINE example of a 6 cyl manifold on Andy T's blog :D

Might wish to speak to GT on the forum about that.

Admin(at)jagclub.ru

Or come along to the forum www.sideways-technologies.co.uk

He also has just finished a run of new design valves that have "science behind them" for all the Triumph engines 4 cyl, 6 cyl, titanium valve caps, high spec proper valve springs etc.

Forged pistons that work for most Triumph engines. New type of spark plug. Valve guides. Steel crank? Ti Rods?

Genuine "developement" parts, NEW things, exciting things, remember development has largely been dead since 1970's for anything related to a Triumph.

I think anyone wanting a genuine improvement for the Triumph engine should SERIOUSLY look into GT's stuff.

List of forged piston apps:

http://www.jagclub.ru/pist_08.html

Something about exhausts:

http://www.jagclub.ru/631.html

I drove the car with this full system fitted and it went very well, it was very quiet cruising and around town and sensibly noisey at full chat. No need for 3 extra silencers at the trackday, as you need with something like Canley's straight through pipe or a single silencer. I have no doubt that this manifold spanks the arse of the Pheonix, TLD, Jigsaw, Canley supplied "fakes", which all have odd primaries, cheapo collectors and cheap construction. You gets what you pays for.

This is a PROPER manifold. Forget 1-2% in the variation of the crap produced by Pheonix for all these suppliers...This thing is from another planet.

I had no idea what this car drove like before, except to say that the owner of the car was pretty damn happy with the system, after all thats all that was changed and I felt the car went well, I am rarely that impressed with alot of "tuned" engines.

Car was quicker than the two ones I have driven that were fitted with "super doper" engines from jibberjabber.