What winter projects have you got planed?

[Bulldog Bri]

It's coming to the end of the driving season for a lot of drivers in a months time, and I'm wondering what new mods and projects are being planed for your cars this winter?

Tell us what your up to... Updates on builds... Repairs... etc...  Even you newbies, speak up, we want to know what your up to. 

[fullpint]

At the mo I'm just gonna lay-the-boot  Still a couple of months left before I stop using it.

I may play around with my dash and move the switches down towards the center tunnel but unsure.. Down size the wheels, when I can find a set of 13" x 7". Apart from that I'm happy with the car...

[YellaBelly]

My to-do list:

Fit windscreen wipers & washers
Remake centre console
Replace rear panel and fit boot (if you can call it that )

I'm sure I'll be adding to the list as I go along......

[Bulldog Bri]

Personally I have...

To clear my garage of the Gentry and the Merlin, get the Locost IVA'd, then I can get Anna Bulldog into the garage to get it ready for next year.

                                                         The Jobs

The Gentry.
Final coat of paints (as not thick enough coats on the first attempt) then polish and put it back together.

The Merlin.
Full spary and polish make sure most bits work then sell on.

The Locost7
Service Brakes, got stiff through lack of use.  Then IVA (one day)

Annas Bulldog
Remove engine strip down and clean up parts, new clutch parts, Front brakes service (already done the back) Tidy up the wiring (New Battery, horn, Rad fan etc), new Dashboard and switches. Fit a heater (as this will be used all year round) Replace the exhuast system. Jet wash the underside and paint. Finally paint the car

Then if there is any spare time. (yeah right) 
My Bulldog
recover front seats, secure center console and service engine.

[Sumov8]

My intention is to replace all of the CV joints on the drive shafts to remove the slack I  feel when changing gear
then I want to pull the dash out replace the fibre glass unit with a wooden variety  so that I can attempt to get a better leather  fit
removing the creases, I will then re wire the plugs to make it quicker to  remove in the future.

Whilst it is out I will remove the old mini heater and re place that with one of those new style units with a better fan and pipe the heat to the floor so that I can use the car all year round.

Then I will enjoy the rest of the winter!

[Bulldog Bri]

Great Guys. Look forward to seeing the progress pics.

[YellaBelly]

With your massive list of jobs Bri, you won't have any time to come on here looking at pics mate

[paintman]

I planning to do nothing on the Hood as it's going really well and it passed its Mot on saturday with flying colours!!

    Tony

[Daley Down Under]

Get the Marlboro Car road legal in Queensland!!!

Still not heard back from Dept of Transport about Assessment - been nearly 5 months now.

Adrian

[Lucky Ed]

MY TO DO LIST

Improve the brakes, don't know which way to go with this, either upgrade calipers or might try a remote servo - more research required

Rose joint the rear wishbones so I can get rid of the nasty toe out I have, which makes driving in the wet a nightmare - going to involve quite a bit of cutting and welding though.

If funds allow, fit some high lift cams and ARP bolts, which should allow another 700 rpm giving an extra 20hp+

I was warned about this upgrade fiasco - More power = bigger brakes = more grip = more power - WHERES IT GOING TO END

[Krazyken]

Ed

With your ability to break things on track, have you considered remaking the chassis from RSJ's to make it more Lucky proof?

[stupott901]

Nothing really plan to change oil, filter and plugs and if I can get it up on a set of ramps have a check underneath.

I have a feeling I will be busy with the start up of my Business, now my time is up in the Forces. 

[fullpint]

Nothing really plan to change oil, filter and plugs and if I can get it up on a set of ramps have a check underneath.

I have a feeling I will be busy with the start up of my Business, now my time is up in the Forces. 

I see a new thread starting up here!!! Start up of my Business!!!!
As for a ramp; Have a chat with Mo (not Martin cause he may charge you  ) to see if he is in on a Saturday, if so they have a 4-poster in there unit 

[stupott901]

Steve yse might require a new topic soon and of course there will be a club discoint,

Yeah had thought of asking Mo he has offered before as Martin is more business minded

Nothing really plan to change oil, filter and plugs and if I can get it up on a set of ramps have a check underneath.

I have a feeling I will be busy with the start up of my Business, now my time is up in the Forces. 

I see a new thread starting up here!!! Start up of my Business!!!!
As for a ramp; Have a chat with Mo (not Martin cause he may charge you  ) to see if he is in on a Saturday, if so they have a 4-poster in there unit 

[Lucky Ed]

Ed

With your ability to break things on track, have you considered remaking the chassis from RSJ's to make it more Lucky proof?

Great idea Ken, even I'll be able to weld the new wishbone brackets to those - although it might add to my problems with my power to weight ratio

['The Gaffer']

Switching on my heated seats.................... Sorry

Seriously, good luck to all planning winter projects.

[Moleman]

I'm the same as the gaffer. though instead of heated seats it will be a thicker coat, gloves & hat! 

[peterw]

Thinking maybe upgrading to a 270 cam, want more horses already!!! Play about with the heads maybe and might look at the g/ box, got a couple of niggles in there. There's another round of redundancies coming at work so I will wait until that's out of the way first before deciding.

Pete

[chrislandy]

My winter list:

Finish building the workshop
then build roof for the Shelsley
Sort a few oil leaks
MOT

[Bulldog Bri]

Looking forwrd to reading these projects as they progress and the pics, should make some good wintertime reading.

Though I'm not to worried about a pic of you switching on those heated seats Gaffer. 

['Mendip Wurzel']

Thinking maybe upgrading to a 270 cam, want more horses already!!! Play about with the heads maybe and might look at the g/ box, got a couple of niggles in there. There's another round of redundancies coming at work so I will wait until that's out of the way first before deciding.

Pete

Pete .... What is wrong with the gearbox

[peterw]

Kevin,  sometimes quite difficult to get into certain gears and a bit clunky, it's an unknown quantity as I bought it from eBay and just chucked it in the car as I was ready to put the engine in.

['Mendip Wurzel']

Kevin,  sometimes quite difficult to get into certain gears and a bit clunky, it's an unknown quantity as I bought it from eBay and just chucked it in the car as I was ready to put the engine in.

This could be worn sellector bushes which are easy to replace and a common weak link with the LT77 gearbox. You need to make sure you are getting full travel with the gear stick and this sometimes means packing out the rubber selector bushes with washers

[danwilko]

want to get the cobra on the road for my bday in december so that i can drive it properly in the summer next year, just had to re-sorn it, ive had it over a year now sitting on axel stands 

finish building and fit new stainless manifolds and exhausts
re-fit brake servo and bleed new hi-spec front hubs and rear brakes
re-fit seats
fit new tyres
check over electrics such as new cooling fan and all switches etc and get working (this could take a while seeing as was left outside for 7 years)
MOT to get advisory list...or who knows pass frst time

[Krazyken]

Sell the Marlin would be nice.

[shurmer]

hi im new to this have just bought a locust 7 replica running gear is ford with  chassis made by t&j sportscars in 1990 been shotblasted and painted black body as u know is wood and ally but has been biult well and is mint needs respray but no biggy need to sorse a 16 crossflow and a mk 2 escort loom anything about have spare parts from a gtir if any interest any interest welcome need loads of info as am a newbie   

[Grin-a-lot]

My engine turns over very slowly when cold and its becoming almost impossible to start.  Im confident the wiring is ok and the battery is in good condition so i'm thinking the rattly starter motor is on its last legs.

That and a weird condition where I put the headlights on and the hazard lights operate at the same time - that needs looking at.

If that all goes well then maybe electronic ignition as well.

['Mendip Wurzel']

I've got a little Lomax 3 wheeler up on jacks at the moment which is a new addition, sad I know.... but fun.

[Bulldog Bri]

My engine turns over very slowly when cold and its becoming almost impossible to start.  Im confident the wiring is ok and the battery is in good condition so i'm thinking the rattly starter motor is on its last legs.

That and a weird condition where I put the headlights on and the hazard lights operate at the same time - that needs looking at.

If that all goes well then maybe electronic ignition as well.

Sounds like some bad earths to me. 

[YellaBelly]

I had a very similar problem, checked all the earths/wiring, and it turned out to be a knack'd starter. All good now

['The Gaffer']

Cold weather plays havoc with batteries.

[fullpint]

Cold weather plays havoc with batteries.

Must crank mine over tomorrow and the whip it off and bring it inside..

[foggy]

Yeah-your right about cold weather and batteries! Had to take mine off the hood yesterday and put it on charge,refitted today and a couple of turns and off she went, coughing and sputtering a bit,but its been off the road since Sept.  If I got time, I want to re-cover the dash board,now that I think I know how to do it.

[fullpint]

I want move all the switches from the dash to where i can reach them with ease.. Nt sure if that will be this year or next 

[shurmer]

hi want to know is it better to make a loom from scratch or cut up an old one mk2 escort loom a bit batterd want some help with a lot of bits on what to do and not to do on building almost from just a rolling body

[fullpint]

hi want to know is it better to make a loom from scratch or cut up an old one mk2 escort loom a bit batterd want some help with a lot of bits on what to do and not to do on building almost from just a rolling body

If it was me I would use the Mk2 loom as a donor sample and then make a new one modeled on it but using shorter or longer wires where needed. I'm sure some of the wires on the standard loom won't be needed  ..
I hate working with electrics 

[shurmer]

thanks for answering back  thats a good idea as the loom is in really bad condition has been cut every were what ireally need is an engine first thought about a crossflow 1.6 but cant sorce one yet any info would be well handy as this is my first kit car build its a locust 7 replica on ford bits

[Lucky Ed]

I've started to rose joint my rear end - sounds painful! - have done the lower wishbones, but I've still got movement where they bolt to the chassis. So I'm going to ditch the 12mm bolts and replace them with half inch UNC bolts. It will mean a bit of drilling but it should tighten it up nicely, as it was I was ending up with large amounts of toe out on the rear making it nearly undriveable in the wet.

Brake upgrade next - Wilwood or Hi Spec - any views

[Camber Dave]

Brake upgrade next - Wilwood or Hi Spec - any views

I would make sure that the calipers have 'dust' seals as they also keep water from getting to the pistons.
Brake fluid has the property of absorbing water from the atmosphere and degrading. This reduces the boiling point leading to a type of brake fade.
Race calipers are cleaned and bled every time the car runs so don't need the weather seal even when racing in the wet.

I have overhauled Hi Spec ones and the kit comes with all the seals to reduce them to bare bodies.
You may need a tool to move a stuck pistol that air won't move so I made one that gripped the piston from the inside.

The choice comes down to price (very little difference with dust seals) weight ( Wilwood  are lighter) colour (HiSpec have more variety)

Customer feed back - Some people have reported problems with Hi Spec getting the mounting blocks for radial mount calipers wrong. In these cases it was the first kit supplied to that particular car. Usually fixed after a remeasure.
All Wilwood came in kits so the above did not apply.
No one I have talked to had any problems with the operation of either make

For what its worth......

Dave

[Lucky Ed]

Thanks for the feedback Dave, I'll shop around and see what I can find.

I'll be in touch in the New Year Dave, as my car will need setting up again after the rose jointing I've done