MadaboutKitcars

I really like the layout of the gauges. The contrasting oil pressure gauge is similar to several pics I've seen of old race cars in which instruments were added or replaced with whatever was available. Very nice.

Thanks for the encouragement guys. Paul, I'm looking forward to that beer...

The side lights are on a permanently live circuit so they can be used as parking lights at night (I think it's an MOT check too).

As Moriniman says, the overflow bottle isn't pressurised. I can't remember if mine had a grommet on the overflow pipe, but the Canley's exploded view doesn't show one -

http://www.canleyclassics.com/?xhtml=xhtml/diagram/vitesseradiator2.html&xhtmlcatalogue=xhtml/catalogue/vitesse.html&category=radiator&xsl=diagram.xsl

I'm going to run mine without a grommet and fit one if the pipe ever comes out. I'll post a photo of how I've positioned my overflow bottle later. I painted the bracket yesterday evening so it wasn't fitted overnight.

T, could you post a shot from the side to show your lowered floorpan. I would like to see how much room underneath, and if you have a tape measure, that would be useful.
Cheers.

OK, so here's my bracket for the overflow bottle as promised -



Big day tomorrow, off to Peterborough first thing for the rebody inspection.

Spent today getting everything ready, riveting on the commission plate and body number plate, for example. After a completely dry and sunny fortnight the weather forecast says it's likely to rain tomorrow morning, which is 'king typical.

I figured some sort of weather resistant cover might be in order, so I came up with this simple yet stylish solution (UK and international patents applied for) -



No, honestly, I didn't pay a professional trimmer, I made it myself out of a couple of builder's rubble bags, some plywood, screws and duct tape. I just hope it survives the journey and keeps most of the rain out of the cockpit. Oh, and I know I can remove it pretty quickly too: when I went to push the car back into the garage I found I'd left the hand-brake on.

So, there we have it. My Spyder is now sitting in the garage waiting to go for its administrative makeover. I can't wait.

Fingers crossed for you. And can I just say, after my 10hr rain soaked ordeal on the day of my inspection I was still excited! Soaked to the bone, but very happy.

a bit late now i know but i was under the impression that a towing frame was only ever legal if the car being towed was taxed mot'd and insured?

Just a thought - but were you considering placing a protective cover of some sort over that very nice radiator, in case of stones etc..?

I think if the tow vehicle is legal, then whatever its towing, may that be a car or trailer, is covered by the towing vehicles insurance.
This includes a tow rope.
I have moved plenty of wrecks this way, saves on scrap yard collection fees!

Ahh, I see I've opened up a can of worms with my 'A' frame...

As luck would have it, I've done a bit of research on the subject of towing, and, Seanick, I'm afraid a car being towed with a rope is definitely not covered by the tow car's insurance. It needs to be taxed and MOT'd and whoever is behind the wheel needs to be insured and have a driving licence as they're in control of the vehicle. I've dished out many a £200 six point fixed penalty ticket to people doing favours for mates by shifting some death trap on the end of a rope without insurance.

Now, with the 'A' frame, I don't need anybody in the car steering and stopping it, it just follows my car wherever I go.

I've attached a trailer board to the back carrying my regular car's registration number and mirroring the rear lights, effectively making it a trailer.

And, because it weighs less than 800 kilos, it doesn't need to be braked.

Finally, as a 'belt and braces' measure I've insured my Spyder from today and confirmed with the company that it'll be covered while being towed.

The only potential offences that remain relate to having the vehicle on the road with no MOT or Tax disc. As I'm not driving it the MOT is irrelevant, while it's DVLA that prosecute the road tax offence, not the Police (we fill in a form and send it to DVLA for untaxed vehicles). As I'm taking it to an appointment with DVLA, I've got a pretty good defence in the unlikely event that they try to prosecute me for breaching the SORN declaration.

I hope that's cleared things up.

Good luck at Peterborough. I've got a 10am appointment with DVLA at Kirkham for the Cordite so that's Two Sammios registered on the same day!

Cheers Andy, and good luck getting Cordelia registered.

Thanks Towed, I consider myself well and truly spanked!

Good luck T, i guess you can answer most of your own questions... say you're 'under cover' for a BBC programme. More sucessful pics tomorrow.

Good luck "towed" im sure she will pass and then you will have a couple of weeks before the fair weather gives up
Im looking forward to next year - there should be more of us out there on the roads.

Does that make them twins?





Morini Man - Thanks for the explanation.

well........

1) Is it a Sammio?
2) Are you thoroughly soaked to the bone?

Come on, Mr T. We are all waiting like expectant fathers.

THE MAN FROM THE MINISTRY, HE SAY YES!



And, thankfully, it stayed dry. I reckon it would have pi$$ed down if I hadn't fitted my universal weather resistant tonneau cover though.

Peterborough DVLA was a good move. Mine was the fifth Sammio that vehicle inspector Stephen Raven had seen there, and it took just ten minutes to get the paperwork sorted. Couldn't have been smoother. Couple more pic's below -







Now, where's my angle grinder?

Nice one Mt T
Easy innit
Two in a day must be a record.

Congratulations. Brilliant.

It's sitting so nicely. Looks great even in grey and with no bonnet.

Thank you, I do like the stance myself. I was a bit worried when my sat-nav took me along a Peterborough street covered in speed bumps - I half expected it to bottom out, but it sailed over them with no problems. Now then, it really needs a bonnet...

WELL DONE, T. Nice to see it out in the open, any advice or was it that straight forward?

It couldn't have been easier. The chap from DVLA was full of compliments for the marque, commenting on the beautiful simplicity of the concept and how great the finished cars look. He was happy with the form downloaded from the Sammio website and provided a second one that needed to go with it (V55/5 I believe). He asked a few questions about whether any major parts had been replaced, checked the numbers matched and that was that. Job done. He also commented positively on my 'A' frame towing rig, which was nice

The Spyder got a lot of attention from people driving their Porsches, Audis and Evoques into work, including a chap in a Civic Type R who tucked in behind me at 50mph on a stretch of dual carriageway when he could have just blasted past. I wondered what he was doing, then saw in my rear view mirror that he was taking pictures of it on his mobile phone. Naughty, but quite a compliment.

It feels like a milestone has been passed today, and I think it's an appropriate time to thank Gary J (Lancelot) for coming up with the concept in the first place. Nice one Gary.

Can you share the details of the towing rig. It looks just the job.

Here you go -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2400KG-CAR-TOWING-A-FRAME-DOLLY-RECOVERY-Direct-from-manfacture-/221080052677?pt=UK_Recovery_Tools&hash=item337965e3c5