More goodies

Visited Martin Knapp today - he is already competing on stage rallies with a TR7 16V.

So I learned a great deal about brakes and various other bits and pieces. Somehow I also came away with a few spares which I wasn't expecting - spare front struts, 2 spare Spax rear shocks and 4 Compomotive wheels with some serviceable tyres.

Meanwhile, BRP is at an autoelectricians as I type for the cut off switch to be wired up - it's all happening!

Would you believe it!

Almost finished fitting the extinguisher system today - I say almost because there wasn't quite enough pipework!!

Here's what it looks like under the bonnet though.

You can see two blue nozzles with the rear one next to the coil. The front one is positioned on the expansion tank.

With the engine canted over all the electrics/ignition and fuel systems/connections are on the same side and will be well covered by the nozzles.

BRP goes into my local auotelectrician tomorrow for the electrical cut off switch to be wired up. When this is done it will shut the engine down completely when operated and isolate all the car's electrics.

All in all the car is very nearly ready for the MSA scrutineer to see if it is worthy of a log book,

On plan for our first stage rally in April.

Fettling!

Not easy to see here but I have fastened a cargo net behind the seats to carry the first aid kit, the "OK" board and hold other bits and pirces like maps etc.

I need someone with more of a domestic touch tho I think cos there's a pouch in the net which holds the first aid kit etc but could do with some kind of fastener to hold the top closed whilst still being easy to open.

I'll give it some thought.

This afternoon was a general tidy up with me "fitting" a couple of grommetts in holes in the floor pan and restraining the wiring loom along the nearside inner sill.

That's another thing that needs more thought!

Finally got the column switchgear cover back on though - had to find a spare as one half had broke.

And also - the outer extinguisher switch was a bit vulnerable and could have been activated by anyone or anything brushing against it. Searching around I found something that will sit over it and give it some protection so it was araldited in place (seen in the pic as a black raised circle around the switch).

All in all - a "bitty" 2 1/2 hours but worthwhile.

Next will be finishing the extinguisher system, wiring the cut out switch, having a good walk round the car and check it against the "blue Book" followed by an appointment with an MSA scrutineer so BRP can get it's rally log book.

As promised

As promised elsewhere today I can now inform everyone that I have replaced the exhaust manifold gasket!

Definitely blowing at the rear as I managed to diagnose so since the autotest the car now has it's no 1 spark plug in situ, a non"blowing gasket" and a quick tune up - so much better now


In addition I spent 20 minutes fighting with wrapping for the fire extinguisher wiring and looking again at the heater which seems to be providing some limited heat now. All in all some further progress and the couple of test drives I took are building my confidence in the car

Extinguisher wiring

3 flipping hours to wire up 2 switches - would you believe it!

Still, here's the result. The extinguisher power pack is above the glove box and the internal switch is on the lower dashboard bottom right of the "E" sticker.

It was quite a relief when we tested the circuit and the correct green light came up.

Now it's "just" a question of the plumbing - the pipework and nozzles. Next week's thrilling installment!

A day in the life of BRP

A full day just on BRP today.

First a visit to S&S Preps for an engine health check. Is this engine a sound basis to go forward with or something that is about to expire?

Of course it's neither!

The experts at S&S seen here working on BRP today found that the engine was basically sound with good compression, a blowing exhaust manifold gasket, carbs that needed balancing along with adjustment to the mixture as well as the timing needing adjustment.

By eck she flies now Captain

The downside though is that there are only about 2 threads that are OK in number one spark plug hole and that the timing chain tensioner needs replacing. Then we get into the "whilst you are at it" syndrome so there's much to ponder over including at least 8 options we came up with!

After this though it was an afternoon of rally prep which really didn't get very far. Actually one switch mounted to the car as well as the accompanying sticker applied! I won't go into the whys and wherefores but, as always, I will return to this again.

Here's the sticker and "the hole" before it was filled with the switch.