10 Oct 2009, 4:43pm
How the hell did that get through IVA?
Latest progress on the Gooster
11 Oct 2009, 10:02am
It didn't. It's a 1920's Blower Bentley with a Roots Supercharger:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_4½_Litre
One of my favourite cars of all time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_4½_Litre
One of my favourite cars of all time.
11 Oct 2009, 7:32pm
Racing Bentleys
Goo
Have you been to any of the VSCC races? They have Bentleys (and a lot of other Vintage cars) properly racing. Races are held at Silverstone, Cadwell, Donnington, Oulton and Mallory.
Absolutely brilliant days out - thoroughly recommended. You can go in to the pits at Silverstone, at no cost, and talk to the drivers/mechanics.
My favourites are the 1930s ERA - they thrash everything up to the mid 50s cars.
A great day out - if its wet, its even better!!
Mike
Goo
Have you been to any of the VSCC races? They have Bentleys (and a lot of other Vintage cars) properly racing. Races are held at Silverstone, Cadwell, Donnington, Oulton and Mallory.
Absolutely brilliant days out - thoroughly recommended. You can go in to the pits at Silverstone, at no cost, and talk to the drivers/mechanics.
My favourites are the 1930s ERA - they thrash everything up to the mid 50s cars.
A great day out - if its wet, its even better!!
Mike
12 Oct 2009, 7:23am
No - I haven't been to Silverstone for one of those events Mike... I'll look out for the next one.
Last time I was there for a race was the Silverstone Classic - they where running all ages sorts of GP cars there.
I did get to see Blowers at LeMans though a couple of years ago, when they ran the LeMans Legends race before the main event. I even saw a straight 4.5 Litre that some one had come to the race in! They'd driven it all the way from the UK, I they said they used it on a regular basis. Not done up in anyway - paint was faded, leather was cracked and worn, and the car looked all the better for it.
Last time I was there for a race was the Silverstone Classic - they where running all ages sorts of GP cars there.
I did get to see Blowers at LeMans though a couple of years ago, when they ran the LeMans Legends race before the main event. I even saw a straight 4.5 Litre that some one had come to the race in! They'd driven it all the way from the UK, I they said they used it on a regular basis. Not done up in anyway - paint was faded, leather was cracked and worn, and the car looked all the better for it.
12 Oct 2009, 10:48pm
Vscc
Goo
Try this site for information for next years calendar.
http://www.vscc.co.uk/vsccweb/default.jsp
Mike
Goo
Try this site for information for next years calendar.
http://www.vscc.co.uk/vsccweb/default.jsp
Mike
27 Oct 2009, 9:43pm
I've covered the centre console - I'm pretty damn chuffed at how it's turned out, especially as I've never attempted anything like this before:
27 Oct 2009, 9:47pm
looks fantastic!
27 Oct 2009, 11:51pm
slick
that is a top notch piece of work!!!!
that is a top notch piece of work!!!!
28 Oct 2009, 8:13am
Real Smart
28 Oct 2009, 8:40am
Looks great. I like the colour.
Have you got all the glue off your fingers yet ;-)
Robin
Have you got all the glue off your fingers yet ;-)
Robin
28 Oct 2009, 8:42am
Not quite.
And Pauline keeps complaining about the smell... I don't know what she's talking about, but I have been hovering 3 inches above the ground on the fumes...
And Pauline keeps complaining about the smell... I don't know what she's talking about, but I have been hovering 3 inches above the ground on the fumes...
28 Oct 2009, 8:36pm
I've covered the centre console - I'm pretty damn chuffed at how it's turned out, especially as I've never attempted anything like this before:
Very nice, well done.
Reminds me of one of those old wireless sets?
Should make the Sportster look really authentic..
...peter
28 Oct 2009, 11:02pm
Thanks guys!
I love the smell of contact adhesive
sooooo much, I did the dashboard tonight:
Excellent! my cunning plan is working!
I love the smell of contact adhesive
sooooo much, I did the dashboard tonight:Reminds me of one of those old wireless sets?
Excellent! my cunning plan is working!
29 Oct 2009, 12:56am
Looking very nice! Wire-less is the way to go! Are you going to be painting the body in a similar colour? Had a chat with my paint specialist today, cost for painting glass fibre is about 1500 ouch, then we got onto the aluminium bonnet... I might well anodise it silver, as polishing it up using alovol or whatever was recommended sounds like a total nightmare 
Steering wheel looks pretty impressive - i've replaced my original BMW wheel with a smaller version to stop it rubbing against my legs whilst driving ... ran into some slip ring problems tho...
Tim
Steering wheel looks pretty impressive - i've replaced my original BMW wheel with a smaller version to stop it rubbing against my legs whilst driving ...
ran into some slip ring problems tho...Tim
29 Oct 2009, 8:13am
Tim - no the body will be BRG. The original beemer wheel seems OK for size, but I may drop down to a 13" wheel when I put a nice moto-lita wooden rim one on after IVA.
Not sure if the current wheel is IVA proof to be honest, as whilst it's padded, there's no colapsable boss.
Not sure if the current wheel is IVA proof to be honest, as whilst it's padded, there's no colapsable boss.
29 Oct 2009, 9:30am
I might well anodise it silver, as polishing it up using alovol or whatever was recommended sounds like a total nightmare
Tim
Tim
Hi Tim
I intend to polish my bonnet. Can I ask where did you find out about this aloval stuff?
Cheers
Robin
29 Oct 2009, 10:41am
Hi Robin
I was talking to a professional body sprayer yesterday as, like you, I was intending to polish the bonnet up. Apparently you can get this stuff, autosol not alovol sorry, which will make it gleam superbly, like back to the original shine when you take the plastic film off, but ... it takes hours and hours and hours and hours ... and you have to re-do it every so often. So it sort of put me off the idea a bit especially when I counted the number of louvres!
http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/reviews/AutosolReview.htm
Tim
I was talking to a professional body sprayer yesterday as, like you, I was intending to polish the bonnet up. Apparently you can get this stuff, autosol not alovol sorry, which will make it gleam superbly, like back to the original shine when you take the plastic film off, but ... it takes hours and hours and hours and hours ... and you have to re-do it every so often. So it sort of put me off the idea a bit
especially when I counted the number of louvres!http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/reviews/AutosolReview.htm
Tim
29 Oct 2009, 10:43am
Good stuff - I used this on the exhaust headers, and it shined them up a treat.
29 Oct 2009, 6:16pm
Hi Robin
I was talking to a professional body sprayer yesterday as, like you, I was intending to polish the bonnet up. Apparently you can get this stuff, autosol not alovol sorry, which will make it gleam superbly, like back to the original shine when you take the plastic film off, but ... it takes hours and hours and hours and hours ... and you have to re-do it every so often. So it sort of put me off the idea a bit especially when I counted the number of louvres!
http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/reviews/AutosolReview.htm
Tim
I was talking to a professional body sprayer yesterday as, like you, I was intending to polish the bonnet up. Apparently you can get this stuff, autosol not alovol sorry, which will make it gleam superbly, like back to the original shine when you take the plastic film off, but ... it takes hours and hours and hours and hours ... and you have to re-do it every so often. So it sort of put me off the idea a bit
especially when I counted the number of louvres!http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/reviews/AutosolReview.htm
Tim
Thanks for that Tim. I think I will still have a bash. If it's not successful then I will paint them along with the rest.
Robin
30 Oct 2009, 9:11am
Worried about my vents in the centre console now... Some one on another forum mentioned that they'll probably not pass the projection tests? I can't see how, as they're behind the plane of the console, and the console itelf is padded with 6mm of foam and then the leather cloth.
Any thoughts? The chap in question did say that it was an easy fix for the test, as all I need do is blank it off on the day.
I just question the logic behind it. It's in an area that it very difficult to reach (you'd hit the gearstick first, which would do more damage than some polished aluminium grill), that's not projecting past the console itself (so once you'd hit the gearstick, youid hit the console next).
Puzzled.
Any thoughts? The chap in question did say that it was an easy fix for the test, as all I need do is blank it off on the day.
I just question the logic behind it. It's in an area that it very difficult to reach (you'd hit the gearstick first, which would do more damage than some polished aluminium grill), that's not projecting past the console itself (so once you'd hit the gearstick, youid hit the console next).
Puzzled.
30 Oct 2009, 11:28am
My console was in about the same position as yours. It was checked carefully for edges using the approporiate sphere. It failed on the side heater outlets which protruded only a few mm outside of the console. A bit of titanfast sorted that out. I since fitted elbows that allow me to direct the heat. (I should have done that in the first place...)
It almost failed on the heater knob but they couldn't quite get the sphere to touch it and they wanted to know how the (BMW) light switch was fixed. (It must be detachable in the event it is struck).
So - they will check it. I think a jobsmith could possible fail yours on the grill if it is contactable with the sphere. It may be simpler just to leave the grill off for the test?
Robin
It almost failed on the heater knob but they couldn't quite get the sphere to touch it and they wanted to know how the (BMW) light switch was fixed. (It must be detachable in the event it is struck).
So - they will check it. I think a jobsmith could possible fail yours on the grill if it is contactable with the sphere. It may be simpler just to leave the grill off for the test?
Robin
30 Oct 2009, 11:53am
That'll be a problem, consdidering it's araldited in place.... 
Maybe I should get a 100mm Ball and check myself.
Maybe I should get a 100mm Ball and check myself.
30 Oct 2009, 1:26pm
That'll be a problem, consdidering it's araldited in place....
Maybe I should get a 100mm Ball and check myself.
Maybe I should get a 100mm Ball and check myself.
The ball from a cistern ballcock is about the correct size. A couple of quid from Wickes... Could be a good investment if you are going for the exclusive (or elusive?) "pass first time" club!
The chances are though that you will be OK. I was particularly unlucky getting a very thorough radius check. I can give you a list of the "unusual" items they failed me for if it would be useful...
Robin
31 Oct 2009, 8:50am
Maybe just cover your grills temporarily for the IVA with some 'flat' mesh or ali sheet with small holes.
If you fix it with 4 small blobs of clear silicon you should be able to peel it off again after you test.
This looks like a good cheap source of some mesh that might do...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FRYING-PAN-ANTI-SPLATTER-COOKING-GUARD-COVER-RED_W0QQitemZ160371042512QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Kitchen_Accessories?hash=item2556dbe8d0
or an old speaker grill, etc
...just a thought...
...peter
If you fix it with 4 small blobs of clear silicon you should be able to peel it off again after you test.
This looks like a good cheap source of some mesh that might do...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FRYING-PAN-ANTI-SPLATTER-COOKING-GUARD-COVER-RED_W0QQitemZ160371042512QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Kitchen_Accessories?hash=item2556dbe8d0
or an old speaker grill, etc
...just a thought...
...peter
31 Oct 2009, 1:33pm
The dash looks stunning, very nice work