MOT passed

For the first time since I said I would do the track day I can exhale. By some miracle the car is ready and has just passed the MOT, that’s 2 weeks early. For the first time in a long time I actually got to drive the car on the road and it was great. The MOT was fine only 2 minor things that he sorted there and then. The lights were out of line and the brake pedal was missing the rubber cover which apparently is a fail. So I can relax a little bit now and concentrate on the little detail.

Mot in a week.

Well what can I say, I am both happy and unhappy with the car at the moment. I have now had my first drive in the car and it was a brilliant feeling to finally drive it after all this time. I hope to Mot the car next week as there are a few little things to sort out. As happy as I am with it I just cant stop thinking of what it could have been, the car should have been painted when it was a bare shell which would have avoided the problems I have now. I spent hours, weeks and months stripping and painting all the parts and now they are covered in dust and over spray. The dash looked new when I had finished it and now it is covered with dust both on top and underneath. The engine bay was white but now it has a blue dusting all over it.

Apart from my rant I am happy and having driven the car I am confident it will pass the Mot. Sticking the screen in wasn’t the most enjoyable job but its done now and I will just have to monitor it to check it is ok. The door cards worked really well and the side windows are a good fit. I spent nearly an entire day working out how to do the anti roll bar, drawing, making and fitting it but now it is installed and should do the job. The exhaust needs a rethink as it clashes will the anti roll bar on full bump, it is also far to loud for the 105 db requirement for the track day.
The seats seemed to take an eternity to get right, not the mounting of them but just getting the driving seat in a position I was happy with, that gave enough clearance above my head with a helmet on. I have added a few stickers but not too many at this stage.

you can just see the blue over spray

blue over spay

more blue over spay

Fresh Paint

Just got the car back yersterday and its looking good.

Bumpers

I have just been doing what I can whilst the car is being prepared and hopefully painted on Saturday the 4th. I have been using the gold TR7 as a template to make the door cards and bumper brackets. The door cards are aluminium and the bracket on the back of the panel will hopefully hold the polycarbonate windows in. The front and rear bumper brackets are complete and the rear brackets carry the fog lights, all small jobs that will save time when it comes to assembling the car. I have bolted the bumpers into one section front and back and I will probably need to strengthen them slightly to stop them twisting.




Bumpers bolted together

Front and rear brackets

a door card cut to shape and marking out for the bracket to support the window.

the bracket fabricated and bolted to the door card

not clear but this shows the bolts that hold the bracket and the slots for adjustment.



the car being prepared. doesnt look like a car that could be ready fot the 1st of may now but it will be.

THE RACE IS ON

THE RACE IS ON.

I have just spent all weekend on the car in an attempt to get it running before it goes to the body shop. I ran out of time but I did get it very close. The car will now be at the body shop for two weeks, I have to get the car ready for the CT track day on the 1st of may so the race to get it finished has already begun. This means that I have from now until the 1st of may to do the following.

The car should be painted and out of the body shop in two weeks.
Install the brake bias adjuster and bleed the brakes.
Get the engine running.
Fit the seats and belts.
Fit the front and rear screens.
Make new aluminium door cards and integrate the mountings for the polycarb side windows.
Install and wire all the lights.
Design, fabricate and fit a pannard rod.
Fit door, bonnet and boot catches.
Design, fabricate and mount bumper brackets, fit bumpers.
Mount all finishing trims.
Track the suspension.

Oh and get it through the Mot.

Not to mention cycling the coast to coast and going to a wedding in Scotland, so that’s all got to be done in three weekends.

How the car looks today.

Engine in.

Finally the engine is in the car. It still really bugs me that the car will now have to be painted with the engine and electrics in, I guess not everything goes according to plan. I will have to tape up every hole and wrap all the components to protect them from dust and paint whilst the outside is being sprayed. The engine went in easily enough, I had to drill the holes for the gearbox mount in its new position but thats about it.

Brakes

The front brakes are now complete, I need to measure and make another braided pipe for the rear. The brakes will then need filling and bleeding.

Demisting dash.

Recently I have just been concentrating on getting the dashboard in the car and all the electrics working. I can now say that it is all completed and everything works ( what a stroke of luck ). Next week I will hopefully get the engine in, at this point I will be taking the car to work to finish painting the outside. If the engine goes in ok and the car is painted it will be very close to being finished.

I was originally going to flock the dash but the budget didn’t permit so it has been coated in a non reflective matt black.










Extending and replacing the fuse section and box to a blade type fuse holder, fault finding and new loom being installed for all the new lights and fuel pump etc.

The electric heater I made for demisting I hope this idea woks.

The trial setup for the in-line blower.

the dash with the new vent holes.

To match the cars original green lighting I glued some plastic strips to the back of the letters and coloured it green with a permanent marker, it is a bit "blue peter" but it works

Wiring Loom

It all seems to be moving forward at the moment. I was not looking forward to the wiring loom as it could potentially take twice as long as intended if I encountered any problems. It is now 90% done and I am confident that I will soon be testing it. The fuel out and return pipes are plumbed in and the main battery feed is in position. I have completed the front brake pipes and 80% or the rear, I am only waiting for some braided hose fittings to complete.