More wiring and messing

Tunnel is again bonding and curing. Will do a bit more tomorrow.
Did a bit more wiring, using proper waterproof connectors, snap locks.
Black ones for the EWP/FAN and Fan switch, they are good cause you can add little brackets and snap the connector onto a bracket to hardmount the end connected to the loom, so they don't flap about and its super tidy. White one of the headlamps/side and indicators.
Made a small bracket that houses the two connectors here.

Neat enough and keeps the connections clean and whatever. All the old connectors were full of much from being "open" to atmosphere.
Just the headlights to do. Got a bigger oil pressure warning light, just need a 25psi switch for it. Wiring is basically complete!

Fiddles

I started on my gearbox tunnel mould this evening.

Waiting for some adheseal to go off, so will continue tomorrow.

I will make the tunnel mould, get one vac formed over it, then make the metal hump to suit the tunnel, so this way I can get the tunnel perfect then weld in metal to suit, rather than hoping the tunnel will come out as planned...

Next stage is adding some metal strips to the fibreglass wood to replicate the flanges that the screws go in, so they are flat, not some warped old rubbish as supplied.

Then make a couple of braces, bond them in to stiffen the tunnel up add some expanding foam and its good and stiff then. I can then prep the surface and get it flat, prime it and neaten it, so at this stage its ready to act as a vac forming dummy.

Once its vac formed I can trim it, fit some seal, bolt it down and start on the metal work.

Then paint the floorpans. Then make some carpet for the floorpan areas. Thats the last of the interior work.

Cosmetics

I was about to repaint the footrest, seemed stupid, 30mins later I had made a new one from alloy! and its loads stiffer.Like so.
I wanted to not run a dashtop, firstly cause the metal bit was rusty, it was old and needed some tarting up, so decided to put the effort into some alloy bits to cover the holes and neaten it up.

The dash is perfectly painted anyway, like outside.
I made a pair of these covers.
Also one for the fag tray. The small cover with two large bolts is now holding the steering column bracket to the bulkhead as well as about 12 spotwelds...There is a big plate underneath too, stiffed that area up a bit, worth doing.
Sweet! saved another 500grams.

Next job is to make the gearshift hump and paint the floorpans, pull the motor and paint the chassis...I keep getting distracted by silly little jobs...Engine will not attempt to run until EVERYTHING is done, when everything is done I will turn the key. No rush to fire it up, thats for little boys :) Patience Patience, he who waits.

Home tooth repairs

I hate paying for anything. I found this great site, you can buy tonnes of dental gear on :)

http://www.dentistmarket.com/

Just read up on a few techniques, learn to "take the pain"...and get going :)

I chipped a tiny piece off a tooth earlier I'd like to repair it, so I have researched whats needed a Zinc phosphate filler and varnish and some reshaping after filling before varnish...

£7.00 good to go. Got a dremel already :) Why pay some dentist £100 for 5minutes?

Wiring Wiring Wiring

Ok this electrical box is sorted. Everything worked first time, joy!

The fan even works.
Boot end just about done, like to feed all circuits that fuse in the electric box direct from battery as the distance is so short. All needs covering but all the hard work is done.
My light switch died ages ago and only terminals 7 and 2 worked...So stripped it down and rebuilt it with the aid of another old switch that was also buggered, between the two I had enough parts to get one working perfecto! A penny saved, is a penny earned! Piece closest to the camera had melted and broken.
No spagbol here anymore!
Started on the front end. Thats just another hour if that...

Replaced the starter wire, gauge feed wires in smaller gauge, fan wire, EWP wires, fan switch wires in correct gauge.

Phew! Thats ALOT of hours! There are now no joins, no oversized cables, no crimp connectors and EVERY SINGLE joint is soldered and has a rubber boot. Also the loom is coloured on every circuit in a different colour. Top job! I can now think that the wiring is as good as I can make it...Before it was a bit of this and that, old, new, bits added etc...

Its now removable as a single unit and can be transfered to another car and it has 16 fuses and no big AMP fuses.

One thing dies the car will go on and not just die.

Main and Dip dip beams are individually fused.

Safety feature, the Electric Water Pump relay also feeds the fuel pump fuse and power. So if the EWP dies within about 30seconds the engine will start to stumble and tell you it has happened, plus a warning light will come on if the fuse goes...Doesn't help if the motor dies, but what can you do?

Feeling a bit more perky today, been feeling profoundly knackered all week.

We're all doomed, and it's all your fault John Martin!

Doomed to be bored to bloody death by your blog :)

Bit closer, but no cigar yet.

Old muck.
Bit better.
Bit to do here.

The final wiring session

After 12hrs spread over a few evenings its nearing completion. Another 6hrs should have it done.

Basically ripped out all the old over-sized wiring and redone the entire loom in thin wall of the correct AMP rating. Added some decent fuse boxes, different relays.

Major job!

Pics are a timescale of work. Top is first, bottom last.

Yikes!

I notice the last davesideways thread over yonder has been locked now, rather appropriate ending.

I feel the need for a brief story.

Threads destined in new dawn to slip’eth down the plank of messages into worldly slumber. Old world enjoin has doth been restored. A pillar of irony hath been repair'eth with yee oldie polyfiller. Thar foundation built once more in boggy soil. Await’eth chilly wind to waft once more. Tales of props and gander told’eth till genuineness become. Limitation of spoil is thee prospect toil, at the show of steeds a group will gather, listen not, premeditated tales how thee scraggy knights saved clique from evil men wit steel horses, ring leader riding white swine was slain by scrawny kiltman. Cliques keen to recite disingenuous myth. Steadfast in thane certain path, charters old, no new sextons to guide thee into innovative dawning.

Like Gandalf, leader of sphere, angel wit white beast will augment beyond thine vestiges of clique tyranny, intensifying awe, shuddering power in additional piece, inward, incisive in awe-inspiring white monster.

Wiring Time.

Best nail the wiring. Its 10pm, I feel like a late one :)

Sorry, not much action atm here.

Getting a bit of bored of PC related stuff, need a break, best go outside and give the beast some attention.

Wiring Time.

The New Forum

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

If it disappears over the next few days it'll be accessed at:

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

I have to make server changes so it maybe offline then.

Progressing well.

Sorry no Spitfire updates, been way way too busy on the forum tech stuff.

Hopefully it'll be fixed for good by Monday.

Ciao.

(edited, Christ I need to read what I type :D )

1hr special offer.

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

Validation is manual atm due to domain transfer.

You may need to wait till someone can validate you by hand.

Forum is not officially open for business.

The offer here is extended for a while :)

More developments

Well I had a bit of a forum problem this afternoon, but we appear to be over it. (must remember to backup!)

Just waiting for a "name server" change on my domain and to get my email system and forum validations working and it'll be in business.

Just some more rules and regs and terms to complete first.

Nothing done on the Beast last two days, been getting a headache infront of the PC during usual Beast work time instead.

Beavering away.

Well I have a working forum, now do not fear, this is in no way in competition to the other Triumph Forums, quite the opposite.

Its being developed to be "focused" into a certain direction of basic "road" improvements through to full race cars. Not really applicable to any real marque, cars / "classics".

More about what I enjoy, which is "Retro-Classics", Kit-cars, Fast-Road-Cars, modifications and technical details with options for others who I "respect" to get more involved with.

I will be looking for a few more people to give it a once over, soon.

You can apply to:

Davidpowell@clara.co.uk

You must be known to me and not going to get offended if at this stage I turn you down or do not reply.

I am not at the stage to allow anymore access atm, but in a few days I will.

Jari Tabell Spitfire Race Video

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8395779742210616783

Just found this cool video.

Great forceful and purposeful driving! Braking like it was bonedry!

1147cc Spitfire with 8 port head.

You can see Jari's Car @ http://personal.inet.fi/koti/jtabell/

Unbelieveable Blog Traffic Today!

First day we will break the 1000 impressions mark by the look of it!

Sorry there's not much to read here :) Unless you like Fisher Furys or Spitfires.

You want scandel you will have to look elsewhere :)

Mates new toy

After selling his Elise which he loved! buying a Porsche 968 ClubSport, that he felt was just a bit boring, he should be buying this thing!

0-60 3.5s
0-100 in 9s!

Should be like an Elise on Steriods!

http://www.racedandrallied.com/detail.php?siteid=460&show_still=1

I approve! Hopefully you'll see him and I ragging our cars up Shelsea or Prescott this year!

I think I'd be needing some different cams, more compression and forged pistons to give it a run though! There is always 2009!

A site for all Triumph http://www.sideways-technologies.co.uk/

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

Not up yet, just links to this blog, will in crude fashion - be open very soon, just a forum at this early stage.

I notice google updates with my latest blog enteries almost instantly, so I'd like some associations made in the search engines! Starting now.

Forum/ today.

Its all on the CT forum now anyway.

Had a visit from a journo today about some articles on various things for the main classic motor publications, so some interesting fun to be had there.

I started making my header tank mount for the chassis, but wasn't really happy with it. So I will sleep on it and have another go tomorrow...Its an ackward bracket! I haven't had the "moment" of clarity yet.

Water system designing.

Had to get the bonnet back on to add some canes to get the exact height right for the header tank. I like my max header tank water level above the max level in the head.
You sexy beast!
Apollo has a good two inches with the banjo.

There is 2" to the rocker cover. This enables me to run a the stock VVC induction system and VVC actuator if needed (actuator sits where there is a plate saying "powered by pipercams"), I can, as it was designed so! Unlikely but good to account for these things.
Here is my new header tank, its the old catch tank. Will need some major adjustments, can be done at the same time as the apollo ones, my cousins a bit handy with a TIG.
Needs this boss welding on to take a Ford pressure cap...About 15psi I think, which is perfect cause much more stresses the viton seals on the headgasket, I was up 25psi on my old 1300!

I will pressure test the cap to check its blow off pressure later by sealing the boss to a piece of alloy sheet, screwing in a -3 line made up for the 0-15psi fuel pressure gauge to the sheet, adding the gauge to it, and a footpump :) Easy?

The two flanges pipes will be cut off and replaced with -4 and -5 or 6...Yet to consider the complete solution, weld on JIC or tapped bosses made by hand.
I will grind the old mount off the tank, then base mount it like the apollo with a brace to a new bracket platform I will make and weld to the shock tower.

Basic plumbing goes like this.

Firstly and most importantly, the tank acts as a siphon for the all the other pipes. It does this because from the base, a line goes to the before the EWP between the EWP and radiator, in the bottom hose, see. This line from before EWP tank is under hard suction, maximum suction and flow of the entire system due to the fact the connection is right before the EWP and the radiator causes drag, so sucks like a two dollar whore on the tank.

This dominates the other connections that are all basically running from behind the pump, after it, so under pressure, not suction, so helps the other lines flow into the tank. Worked perfectly on the last setup, so why not copy it. Actually NOTHING has changed in all honestly in the design.

The line out the top of the radiator this is an exception as its under suction too but not as great as the other line mentioned above. This radiator pipe goes to the base of the tank (important its under water level!). This area of the radiator will be under suction. This line is basically just there to bleed the system and fill the radiator when refilling the water system. Its usually used as the connection for an EXPANSION tank. In most systems...But with my system there are 2 other lines that also serve this function. In the rover and mgf the radiator doesn't use a top exit for the expansion tank.

So, so far we have two lines connected, both running out the tank. The level of water in the tank will always remain constant, cause the system only has so much water in it eh and evacuation dominates the flow into the tank, so level remains constant.

The line coming from the end of the inlet manifold going to the top the tank is the usual line going to the expansion tank on this engine. However in my system it also does this job, but its under pressure from inside the head and flowing into a tank that is being evacuated, so will flow out into the tank as a good rate, where on the normal engine its just a line with no flow going to a dead end (expansion tank) I believe. This line is there to bleed the engine in this rig and also this is at the very highest position of the heads water jacket, so its very useful for bleeding and purging air. It'll go into the top of the tank, into free air (no essential) to purge any bubbles and encourage flow.

You see a braided line coming from the swirl pot and shoved in one of the top flared pipes...This again is under pressure from the swirl pot and flows into the tank, this purges any air or bubbles, as a swirl pot is designed to do. Its designed to remove air, so flows into the air into the top of the tank...this is also the highest piece of pipework, so in the ideal location to bleed trapped air etc.

What can be done is to the tune the usual running temp by sizing these pipes to act as a bypass system through the header tank...So I may oversize them using -6 hose and experiment with restrictors to get the running temp pegged @ 80C without the thermostat using the EWP and controller, which is not a perfect system for temp control without being setup well (as it was before).

Bypass pipe sizing and temp effects is not something you can work out really.

Heater is pretty simple. The passenger side outlet will come off the water rail this is pressured (outward flow) not suction, so will flow into the heater from here and literally set you on fire when its cold :) The driver side outlet will run to another connection before the EWP...Or...I could run this driver side outlet to a valved booster pump and dump the water in the header tank...I will get another connection fitted welded to the tank to account for this idea and persue that later. I can adapt the special connection in the bottom hose used to suck water from the header tank to take a larger connection and split it...

I don't like the normal heater valve, i'd like an electronic one with a dash knob control, cutting off completely and max flow, or anywhere in between...

Heater not a priortiy atm, the main system should work perfectly...Its exactly what was there before!
The fat tube above will be remade from 1 piece and do a 180 to the engine inlet I made to replace the thermostat housing. So binning the silicon hose, which are new and I can sell, also lighter!
Blah.
Blah. Masking tape is good!

Megajolt MAP Sensor feed piping

I had made most of this before, but decided to adapt it, plus the ECU has moved now.

Below is a "restrictor" its a piece of pipe with a 0.8mm hole in it. This stops pulsing at the ECU map sensor. I am not using TPS but MAP. You need to restrict the tube or you get spikes, even with all 4 barrels joined.

This was covered with oil and ramped down inside the end of the silicone vacuum tubing.

I just tested it by sucking the tube attached to the carbtune meter, below is the restricted tube.
Below is an open 3mm I/D tube, no difference, so thats good!
Restrictor is where my finger points.
Tube goes through the bulkhead in above the others...All very neat eh?! I said I wasn't going to drill any more holes in the bulkhead! Thats two more today!
Can't make it any neater than that me thinks!
Very much a step up from the old 1300 installation :)

Of course the engine has to come out again, but its nice to do some fitting work and get stuff ready made, cause its such a pleasure!

As the project has moved on, things have changed and evolved.

I was considering sticking a different design of header tank on the shock tower infront of the filter or mounting it on the strut brace...Why? Cause instead of all the hoses going back from the radiator, EWP, swirl pot to the bulkhead, they can just be 1/4 to a 1/10th the length...Sure moves some weight forward, but 3kilos of water is nothing compared to 40kilos of cast iron I axed that was there (the old 125kilo engine) and the 87kilo K engine is 4.5" back from normal!

Pretty happy with it at this stage! Its been a rollercoaster of a project. highs/lows....

Atleast if I blow the engine, bar my cylinder head its gonna be a doddle to sort in the future. Which was the idea. Basically its just a matter of wanging my head on a new bottom-end, transfering a few parts across.

I know of few Caterhams that have done 75,000miles + and still going on the original motor so fingers crossed! Also kind of forgetting that it was fast before but needed trashing, this time it'll be stupidly fast and piss all over how it was before even if you short shifted at 4500rpm :) Bring it on!

Have to have some late nights soon, err...its 3.37am atm! Its really important to me that the car is really complete by April...I'd like to go to the Triumph Hillclimb event at Shelsea as its local, or the meeting whatever it is and slaughter everything up the hill...

However getting it rolling is one thing, then it needs tuning, which of course I will do myself by ear any issues fixing, don't predict any at all, provided I did a good job on the motor, the other stuff is all no-brainer work really...

...Then the small issue that to thrash it the diff needs changing (vitesse 1600!), the rear suspension will remain as normal during the gentle testing and shakedown period, not too keen on giving it full welly on the swing axles...So maybe this hillclimb is a bad idea :)

I just intend to potter about, do some motorways tests and get the front suspension working to my liking again...Once its all good I'll be wanting to welly it, so i'll nail a decent CV conversion or something and suspension.

Best not to run before you can walk, especially when you have put probably 1200hrs into a bloody car! 2009 is the main event.