Service crew

Thanks to Martin KNapp I got the chance to be at the SMC Stages. As it happened Martin did need some assistance!

Roll cage ordered

Yes, another step taken - the roll cage is ordered.

8 weeks delivery and then we have to fit it. There will also be door bars and a harness bar so a pair of competition harnesses will also be ordered.

When they are in (mid-June?) BRP really will look the part.

Oh, then I'll also get a plumbed in extinguisher, fit it and the car will pretty much be up to spec

Toledo, then TR7

I brought the Toledo round under the carport and re-attached the exhaust - yes, the same one that fell off 6 times on our European roadtrip last year! An exhaust strap has split though so I will try and get a replacement this afternoon.


Then over to BRP and re-fitted the driver's competition seat. Worth doing as the next big job is the rollcage and I will want to see how it clears the seat etc.

But then I decided to check out a "weep" I had noticed from the top hose.

OK - so I just felt the hose at the radiator to see whether the top hose clip wasn't tightening and yes it felt loose.

But then the whole pipe into the radiator came out!

Call me a thickie but I don't think that's supposed to happen!

A spot of servicing

Started a service on BRP as can be seen here.

I also took the opportunity to fit some exhaust wrap low down on the manifold next to the starter motor.

There should have been a heatshield but this has long since gone after the "Austrian incident". The sports exhaust manifold didn't leave clearance for it anyway.

Without some insulation tho I was concerned the starter motor would suffer after being slowly cooked!

What a Plonker!

Yes, I can be a plonker sometimes and I am willing to admit it.

When I had fitted the butterfly discs and then put the carbs back on the car revved at 2500RPM and wouldn't come down from it.

Then Jon noticed that the discs are actually profiled so that they seal correctly

So, off with the carbs and yes, I had managed to put both in the wrong way round! The picture shows where I have fixed the one on the right and it's plain how it shuts tight - the one on the left won't seal so that's why it was revving so high.

As it happens it was quite a satisfying couple of hours spannering to put them right and then re-fit the carbs. After all that the car ran very nicely indeed.

I ran it up to temperature, the thermostat worked, the electric fan cut in, engine temp fell, there were no water leaks anywhere - this can't last surely.

Now I have to think what comes next. Probably removing the last bit of carpeting, fit the comp seat back in and give the car a service before it's roll cage time.