Not a surprise!

It's not a surprise the 2000 was making a "clonk" on the run back from the Essex Winter Rally - see below!
Yes, that's a completely snapped shock absorber on the offside rear. PMW hasn't seen anything like the kind of use it's getting now in a long long time and bits are starting to complain!

So I'll be using the Rimmer Bros vouchers I got at Christmas to buy a pair of rear shock absorbers and a ball joint for the front.

Meanwhile, BRP is closer to running but not yet there - we are getting first a very slow engine turnover (but at least with no nasty noises) and then only the dreaded click of death! Further investigation of earth leads and starter motor connections next week.

Soon though, if it's not running I'll be switching the focus on to PMW and making that ready for the HCR.

A Standard TR7 Sprint

Standard - that's what I am aiming for after previous experience! Well, as standard in the engine department as a 16valve TR7 can be anyway.

So here's the standard camshaft sprocket - the vernier one is in the boot!

Having a day off work gave me the chance to carry on with the build and the picture below is at a very good place in proceedings; putting oil in.

What it can't show though, is that I had got on well with bolting up the front engine cover only to have that sinking feeling I get when I think thoughts like "I think there's a couple of gaskets missing".

Yes, there was so it had to come off again! Still, it was worthwhile as the sump gasket had been moved out of place where it joins the front engine cover so I was able to get that fixed as well.

After all that and putting the oil in I fitted the radiator and filled that with coolant too. Along with the alternator and fan belt back on it's looking close to an effort to start it this weekend.


Just the exhaust manifold to go on and then it's finger's crossed - wish me luck!

HCR & BRP

I have posted the entry off for the Historic Counties today and am certainly looking forward to it.

My co-driver will be Sarah and the car is BRP so it will be great to get the three of us back together again.

Which leads me on to BRP - not running but slowly coming back together. Thanks Kevin for coming over this afternoon and three hours work resulted in not alot to write up but a long way forward. The timing chain is on, new tensioner fitted and the standard camshaft sprocket used (need to fit the second bolt!).

Not only that but we made sure the jackshaft was in the right spot for the dizzy cap to be pointing at number 1.

Then with the engine front cover fitted we turned the engine over by hand and no horrible noises were heard and neither did the engine jam up in any way.

Looking hopeful then. If BRP isn't running though and all hunky dory by mid Feb I'll abandon the plan to use it for the HCR and switch focus back to PMW and use that. It will need TLC before another outing though but mid Feb to end March should give me enough time.

Talking of PMW, here's photos courtesy of Mike Banks of us competing last weekend

PMW & the CT Essex Winter rally

Collected PMW from my brothers' on Saturday.

Malcolm and Harvey had fitted the "new" distributor as well as the new speedo cable - thanks chaps! They did advise me though that there was a dodgy ball joint and that it would be wise to turn round and go home.

So obviously I headed south!

Being cautious down the M1 and then A1 I arrived in Potters Bar OK and had a lovely meal with Ellis Stokes, his wife Ann and another CT member, Keith Compton-Bishop.

Sunday saw us head off for the 12 car rally and on the 1 hour run up to the start a vibration began to develop - could be propshaft or driveshaft UJ(s). So, bearing in mind the dodgy balljoint a steady run was in order.

After plotting section one we set off and obeserved as best we could with a "waving speedo" the average speed tie breaker. It's clear why Ellis is one of the best navigators in the club - solving a circular herringbone in itself shows that.

There were some enjoyable roads on the route but I was very conscious of car preservation on quite a few rough surfaces where the tarmac had broken up.

The result of our efforts though was third overall, which I am very happy with and is pretty much down to Ellis - thanks mate.

Then back to drop Ellis off when more clonks started to be heard . These were not helped by an awful pothole on the M25 just east of the M11 junction which I couldn't/didn't avoid and the car dropped into with a right clonk and a twitch from the rear.

All that remained then was a 60 mph steady drive home up the A1. I remember quite a noise from the rear of the car near Blythe which sounded like something broke (!) and the car became very twitchy. Arrived home at 9PM after all that though but with at least a ball joint needing replacement and some investigation/rectification of various vobrations and "clonks" to be done.