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Good point! I'll try and get a pic of mine "as is" out in the open over the weekend just so that we have a reference pic before i make any more changes.
I also got the local MOT man to have a quick look at those front break hoses, and yup the do seem too short. But it should be a quick and easy mod to make up some new brackets from some steel i already have and that will bring the fixed brake tube out a bit so that i can keep the same hoses (i.e. no more cost!) so that's good.
Vitesse springs are rated at 229 lb. I reckon you want standard spitfire springs which are 150 lb.
I will try and find the link to a load of rates etc, just cannot remembe
r where it was!
Surely you wouldn't just swap to a lighter weight spring? You need springs made to the correct original weight or even a bit more but to a new size... say 10 1/2 instead of 12 1/2.
All MOT failure points on the kit car have been rectified, ready to get it retested! Hopefully the garage can fit it in tomorrow as i've got the day off :-) Fingers crossed there is nothing else left to fix and my very lovely neighbours can finally get some peace in the evenings :-)
Friday morning its booked in for. So i'm taking the time to do some more trim pieces for the interior and to see if I can rescue my attempt at a spray job with, yes, more polishing :-)
I have taken it up the lane and the brakes are a lot better now after another flush and even though i've not really blasted it, it is scary quick! Also quite loud according to the wife and neighbours :-)
Cheers guys! Thanks to GOO for the idea, I might pick up a bike holder in the week, but for today it was a 99p special just so i could get out.
After refitting the wind deflect or and re-adjusting the springs (cough) i've only just come back from my first proper run out. Just a 4 mile round trip to the next village, stopped to check for leaks, and back again.
Things of note were
1. Its DAMN quick! Or at least it seems like it when your @rse is only a few inches from the road
2. Its bleedin skittish! I'm going to have to take some time to get used it it or i'm going through a hedge, backwards
3. It SMELLS! I know its running a bit rich, but I suspect this is mostly because it's not been driven in years and needs a good long run to clear its lungs.
So a few things to tinker with and another shortish run out planned for tomorrow
Well done Dave. Great to get her running, especially as you seem to have kids too.
Re skittishness...how's the camber angles front and rear? Have you managed to get the wheels plum, or with a bit of negative camber? I read somewhere that on a 14" wheel the desirable 1 to 2 degrees of neg camber is about what one wants, and is about 1/4" when measuring from top and bottom of the wheel rim, against a. Vertical spirit level.
Still trying to achive that myself!
fingers crossed for a dry day tomorrow :-)
And the new gearbox is in! Just some final pottering and double checking to do and hopefully it'll be back on the road this weekend
The source of my smoke and smelling turned out to be a leak in the old gearbox that was dripping oil straight onto the exhaust! That would explain the smoke and sore eyes then!
and it's official.... i now HATE anything that involves "under the car"
Welding... under the car
Grinding... under the car
Painting... under the car
undoing 42yr old nuts and bolts... under the car
and it's official.... i now HATE anything that involves "under the car"
err, more time spent while the body is off is rarely wasted in the long run
Sorry to hear your toils Dave, but at least you will be able to drive yours this weekend! mines a month or so off yet.....in time for the blistering hot summer we will have!!
err, more time spent while the body is off is rarely wasted in the long run
very true and I've learnt this the hard way as i "assumed" a few parts were fine
I also blame Gary for having my body ready 3 weeks early and therefore not giving me enough time to get everything reconditioned! At least that's me excuse! Just kidding Gary!
I've just changed the gearbox and speedo and come back in from a run to test it all out.
MUCH better!!
Although while the speedo needle moves up as i get faster and down as i get slower. I'm not at all convinced that there is any correlation between how fast I'm going and what the needle actually says!
I may have to send it off to Swansea to be calibrated in the not too distant future methinks!
But now that it is all back together i've been doing a few of the post-mot tidying up jobs and i've finally managed to get some pics.
Now that all of the main pieces are just about there, i can use the car without feeling embarrassed that I'll show anyone up and i can make replacement _better_ parts over time. Which is why i went for a Sammio in the first place!
And while I'm at it i've finally taken some engine bay pics as someone was asking about plumbing etc.
Up until now I've been embarrassed to post any pics of my engine bay as the engine tidy-up is next winters job. But i'm now at a point where i don't really care what others think! I know it's not pristine and needs a bit of TLC, but it's mine!
And before anyone mentions it. Yes the top rad pipe is quite near the alternator, but if you look closely you can spot the bracket i fabricated that is bolted to the alternator top bolt to make sure i don't get any unfortunate "wizzz arrrgghh sploosh" moments
layball: 
well done Dave, now post a drive by video 
mines a month or so off yet.....in time for the blistering hot summer we will have!!
