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Another Sportster is born!!!

15 Jul 2008, 9:38pm
It was a nice summers evening here tonight, so after dinner we went for a little shake down drive. Covered about 14 miles and the car runs really well. The most interesting thing I discovered is that you can pootle along in 5th gear at 40mph and then accelerate away without changing down!:madgrin:
I was wearing my goggles for the first time tonight. I look a bit of a p**t :icon_eek: but it stops my eyes watering from the wind, so much more comfortable and safer.
The only problem so far is that one of the front wing stays has worked a bit loose and has rubbed on the inside of the wheel. I need to tighten those guys up. These seem a bit of a weak design point.
That and my tappets will need adjusting again as they settle down. The rad fan stays off untill you stop for any length of time, so the cooling seems to be fine.
happy motoring............
15 Jul 2008, 10:12pm
Peter
Marlin weld the wingstay u bolts to the uprights this stops them spinning and rubbing on the wheels.
15 Jul 2008, 10:14pm
Good idea Stuart :)

Peter, are you using both halfs of the U bolts? I've found using both has stopped them moving about. I rubbed off a bit of the inside of one of my tyres but its not caused any problems. They're due to be replaced anyway.
16 Jul 2008, 7:49pm
Stuart wrote:
Peter
Marlin weld the wingstay u bolts to the uprights this stops them spinning and rubbing on the wheels.


Yes, I thought I had spotted welds on their red car at one of the shows. I also spotted this mod on a car at Stoneleigh show this year.
I imagine this stops the wings flexing around the fixing bolts which I think is why mine have loosened.



This car also has the 'pressed in' BMW lower ball joints.
17 Jul 2008, 6:15am
peterux wrote:
Thanks, Mike.

No I won't be at Newark as I still need to register the car,

I am hoping to get that done in the next few weeks.

But I am hoping to be ready to go to the Uxbridge Autoshow.

http://www.uxbridge-autoshow.com/index.html

This is not a Kit car show but is usually a good day out with everything from Ammerican cars, hot rods and Morris 1100's with polished hub caps!
Plus autojumble, trade stands, small fun fair for kids, ete etc

Usually a few Kits plus real Lotus 7's plus every kind of car you can think of.
This is a charity event organised by the Rotary club.

Uxbridge is pretty easy to get to from the M40 or M25.

Anybody else fancy a day out?

If you want to enter your car for judging (You get to drive round the parade ring!!) entries have to be in by the 14th July.

Anybody interested?

Peter



What time you planning on getting there on Sunday? Do you want to meet up before hand a drive in together :)
17 Jul 2008, 7:30am
peterux wrote:
Yes, I thought I had spotted welds on their red car at one of the shows. I also spotted this mod on a car at Stoneleigh show this year.
I imagine this stops the wings flexing around the fixing bolts which I think is why mine have loosened.

This car also has the 'pressed in' BMW lower ball joints.


Looks like a good mod to me - the wing stays could certainly do with some "fine tuning" IMHO. Peter - as a temporary measure how about replacing the ordinary nuts on the clamps with nylocks? They would probably resist the "undoing" action better.

Robin
17 Jul 2008, 8:48pm
MartinClan wrote:
Looks like a good mod to me - the wing stays could certainly do with some "fine tuning" IMHO. Peter - as a temporary measure how about replacing the ordinary nuts on the clamps with nylocks? They would probably resist the "undoing" action better.

Robin


Great minds...., but mine are already fixed with SS nylocks. I think i've just got to wack them up a bit tighter? :smile:
17 Jul 2008, 8:56pm
Patrick wrote:
What time you planning on getting there on Sunday? Do you want to meet up before hand a drive in together :)


:smile: Nice idea, but I have registered and have got this very official letter asking for all cars to arrive by 09.30 befor the gates opening at 10am! (I think they like to have a lot of cars in position before the public arrive) Not as relaxed as us kit car folk who just turn up late and go home when the clouds come over :laugh:
But don't worry as I guess that will be a bit early for you coming up from Southampton? You can get in after 10 am.
I'll email you a copy of the map showing which entrance to use after 09.30.
I'll try to get there for 10am to be fair to the organisers, as I'm only a few miles away.

Anybody else comimg?

Peter
17 Jul 2008, 9:14pm
I'm about an hour away according to google maps so 10 wouldn't be so bad.