Hand Brake Tree and Stoneleigh 2017

I dropped the axle casing and steering column of to Westfield the weekend before Stoneleigh along with the steering rack and mounts so that Mark can confirm the modification length with the steel mounts and 'thin' rack.  My kit was starting to be gathered together and Simon confirmed that it will be ready before the end of May with a tentative pick up on the 26th.


At Stoneleigh I spent a fair amount of time with Simon and his Eleven taking photographs and picking up dos and don'ts for the build.  The best ones were not to mount anything on the scuttle, mounting of the fuse boxes on the passenger side under a cover and a cover for the whole of the starter solenoid.  I also got some good ideas for rear fog and reversing lights that are more fitting for an Eleven and a lead on a replica Lotus Eleven steering wheel than can be supplied with a period quick release boss.

Plus all the usual Stoneleigh Beer, BBQ and Breakfast

I now have to finish off the Midget strip and arrange for the bodywork to be removed; the only donor item left was the hand brake mechanism that I unbolted from the axle when I removed it because the cable  adjuster nuts wouldn't budge.  Today an axle grinder with a cut off disc made short work of the cable and, with the tree in a vice, the adjuster nuts quickly followed.  After a good wire brushing the tree was dismantled, de-greased and painted with matt black anti-rust paint.





After leaving the parts to dry I re-assembled the tree with all new felt washers, clevis pins and even a new grease nipple.













When I ordered the engine parts from MED I also bought there stack and air filter kit for the HIF44 carburettor.  Having read a series of post on using an HIF44 on the Westfield-Eleven Register forum I may have to replace the manifold with something with less of an angle in order for it to fit under the bonnet and also something slightly longer.