First Engine Installation

After a two week wait the replacement bell housing arrived back from Westfield, the original was machined with a ~2mm error between the engine and gearbox interfaces that prevented the engine mounting bolts fitting when the input shaft was fitted into the spigot bearing.

After fettling the bell housing for the 1275 oil pump and clutch slave cylinder I fitted gearbox, clutch release arm, bearing and slave cylinder.

And with fingers crossed installed on the engine - fitted no problem.

Also fitted the WOSP hi-torque starter motor.

James came out to help and we got the engine onto the hoist and positioned the engine for installation.

After a bit of a faff with front engine mounts we eventually got the engine installed and marked up the gearbox mounting holes on the chassis, removed the engine, drilled and painted the chassis and then refitted everything.

Once fitted I found a number of potential fouls that need to be resolved, handbrake mounting bolt/prop shaft, reverse light switch/chassis and bell housing starter blister/chassis, however, the engine is staying put for now so I can sort out the megajolt wiring and all the engine plumbing.

And the sump is the lowest point - not as bad as I thought and once the suspension is adjusted it will raise it further.

Eleven Continues

Just before I left for Silverstone I got a call from Paul Hurley to say that the engine was ready for collection so this made my decision to travel home on Sunday ready to pick it up on Monday,

When I picked it up it was heat wrapped so I didn't get my first look until I got home.

Having found that the bell housing bolts were too short because of the additional thickness of the alloy casting I spent today:

fettling the bell housing to clear the increased oil pump size

fitting the clutch

The crank sensor bracket and trigger wheel

and the Denso 40A alternator

A Busy July

July started with the Crash Box Classic Car Show at Powderham Castle in Devon.  I met Chris, Malcolm, Dale and Glenn at Honiton and we made our way down to Powderham.  Once we got to the show we found our pitch (Colin's car was already there) setup the gazebo, flags and Euro Tour banners and then made our way over to the campsite to put up the tents.

Over the weekend we met lots of people interested in the cars and the kitnet.uk team joined us for the Sunday.  On Saturday night we watched the band playing 70s/80s glam rock music and drank too much beer while surrounded by steam traction engines - an excellent night.

Colin joined us at various times but had to fulfil his duties as a member of the Crash Box Car Club - he and Pat lead out the member's parade lap around the show ring in "Dotty":

At the end of the month we went to the Silverstone Classic, Colin and I met up at Sparkford and then headed to Amesbury where we joined Chris, Malcolm and Dale and headed off to Silverstone.  We got split up on the A34  because the information signs warned of a 1 hour delay and Chris, Malcolm and Dale were able to avoid it unlike Colin and I - however, multiple trips to Oxford and Milton Keynes over the last couple of years gave me in-sider knowledge and after the initial incident cleared Colin and I made good time and ended waiting for the others for an hour at the services just after Brackley......

On arrival at Silverstone we went straight to the Woodlands campsite pitched the tents, setup the Westfield Bar and then headed to the circuit.

At the circuit we parked the cars on the WSCC site and the headed off to watch the racing and look at the cars in the paddocks.

I spent a lot of time looking at Lotus Elevens and Fifteens:

and then got distracted by the wider attractions at the show

 Westfield owners know better that to miss out on a filling station!
After a weekend of excellent racing and changeable weather we headed home on Sunday evening after having a final pizza with Chris and Colin who were staying a further night.