Run Out Over Exmoor

Going through a bit of dry weather phase and with the forecast ahead not looking quite we planned a day trip.  Tricia and I had an early start and headed off to Exmoor.  Lots of B Roads between Taunton, Lynton and the back home, stopped off in Porlock for a coffee, 160 miles in all and back in time for a very late Sunday lunch.

Dunkery Hill looking over towards Minehead

An unplanned stop at the top of Porlock Hill to reconnect the cutch pedal and once we got home I readjusted/threadlocked it and then changed the differential oil to EP90 in an attempt to quieten it down and, whilst there gave the back end of the car a good check over.

Garage Doors and Flooring

 It's now close to 20 years since we bought the house as a new build and for almost 20 years we've had to live with the constant risk that the wires that control the garage doors will jump off their spindles, usually when it's late in the evening or raining. Well now this is no longer an issue as we have two new electric roller doors

Halfway through

Finished (close out panels to be fitted once I'm happy that they're adjusted)

Once the doors were fitted it was on to the flooring - this required the entire content of the garage to be moved so I did it in quarters.

Just about 1/2 done

Nearly finished - need to build up some enthusiasm to clear the racking! 

Getting Ready for 2021

 On the assumption that 'things can only get better' I've been getting ready for 2021.

First the Eleven, I've fitted a Cobra immobiliser as I noticed that my insurance disclosure assumed it had one; it's the same one fitted to the SEIW that has worked well over the last 8 years and was straight forward to fit.  Whilst I had the scuttle off I also fitted the 10.5V regulator to the fuel gauge supply in order to reduce the over reading.  Final thing was a service and off for an MOT, the Eleven's 1st,  passed with no advisories (after I'd tightened up the front disc bolts).  First trip out for the year was trip to meet up with the new WSCC Somerset and Devon Area Organiser; having met up at the Royal Oak in Over Stratton we headed off down the A303 then on the A30 followed by a pint and chat before heading home.

With the Eleven 'on the road' I focused on the SEIW, over the winter I swapped the rear springs for some 160 to 210 lb progressive ones supplied by Spax, fitted a new starter motor find that the starter solenoid connection stub on the old one had become loose - hence the occasional no start issues on the Anglesey trip and replaced the rear brake callipers for Golf Mk4 ones to resolve the hand brake effectiveness issues I'd been living with since being really exposed in the Alps.  Whilst bleeding the brakes I sheared the bleed nipples on both the front callipers so took the opportunity to overhaul them with all new seals, I now own a 7mm tap set!  Last of all was an MOT, again passed with no advisories, and now the wait until next month to start the road tax.

We're currently on a phased exit from COVID 19 lockdown so it's not clear what events will be going ahead this year.  I've pre-booked a couple of Haynes Breakfast Clubs in June and July, they're no longer a turn up on the day event, I assume a combination of the issues they were having on numbers attending and COVID.  The first Dorset Area monthly meeting is planned for 20 May after the pubs are properly open and Colin has tentatively arranged the Devon Run in mid-July.  Dodging between showers Tricia and I have now managed to get out for a couple of blats around Somerset and Dorset largely missing the rain.

Whilst the car was up in the air I noticed a star craze under the rear body by the diffuser so have repaired it but the gelcoat isn't a good match, I've now tried RAL 2003, 2004, 2008 and 2009 and none are a good enough match for a repair on a visible panel so I've ordered some gelcoat direct from Westfield.

Westfield announced that they were no longer going to supply AP Racing brake components so I ordered one of the last master cylinders at the same time as I ordered the gelcoat.  I'm reasonably happy with the current front callipers but the AP MC is supposed to improve the instantaneous feeling as the brakes are applied - we'll see if it's worth the £330....

MSE sent me an email advising that they now have 3 dates at Keevil so I've booked for the end of July with the usual Dorset Area suspects, hopefully some of the Devon & Somerset Area will also come along.  I've changed the Differential oil to EP90 GL5 and so far the slight n/s output shaft oil leak has stopped, my intention is to strip the back of the car over the winter to treat any rust and replace all the fuel hoses with ethanol 10% ready R9 specification.

Anglesey

 The summer Euro Tour and Le Mans trip was cancelled so a long weekend in Anglesey with a track day on the Monday was substituted.  We met up a various locations in Somerset and headed up to the Gloucester Services on the M5 for breakfast and fuel.

We pulled off the M5 at the next junction and ambled up to Anglesey stopping at the Ludlow Brewery for lunch and at Demon Tweeks to see if they had some offers.

Over the weekend we drove around the island and took a 70 kt Rib ride along the Menai Straights.

South Stack Lighthouse

On Monday we drove to Trac Mon, about 1/2 hour from the accommodation for an excellent track day.  Due to COVID the cars were split into 3 groups and had 7x fixed 20 min sessions from 0900 to 1700; we had excellent weather for late September, sunshine and low 20 deg C.  In the morning the layout was the International and in the afternoon the Coastal, slightly shorter and incorporating the tricky 'Corkscrew' corners.

Distanced Paddock

Corkscrew

GPS Track 745 miles, nearly 18 hours driving

First COVID19 Blats

With the relaxing of the C19 Lockdown we managed to get out for a blat around Dorset and South Somerset - great to get out in the Eleven with everything working after the engine/gearbox removal/refit - I still need to make a slight adjustment to the clutch pedal but the speedo no works using the magnets on the prop shaft flange and there's no leak from the gearbox input shaft immediately apparent.

Not the best picture but looking out over Weymouth Bay from the Hardy Monument at the cruise liners parked up.

On the 1st June I taxed the FW and repeated the last blat in the Eleven but extended.  New R888Rs are now scrubbed in and almost every thing is working, I just need to reconnect the wiper switch illumination.  We stopped off at Cerne Abbas for some photos.

Aerocatches and Carbon Fibre Flared Side Panels and Headlights

Due to COVID-19 the cars are both in extended lockdown, me working from home and the Easter holiday trip to Berlin cancelled I've managed to get out to the garage and complete some upgrades to the SEIW.

Headlights

First was the headlights, the shells needed to be finished off with fittings

and once the LED headlight had been bonded in place I fitted them to the car using new 6 way econoseals and the same wiring as the previous lights

Aerocatches - (note photos from either side)

Next was the Aerocatches, I'd had these and the flared side panels for a couple of years but never plucked up the courage to fitment - I now know why.

Step 1 - decide where to fit them and make a template so that both sides are in the same position.

Step 2 - cut out the mounting hole

Step 3 - sand down the thickness of the panel/trim the Aerocatch

Step 4 - bond in the aerocatch

Step 5 - cut slot and shape the lower edge of th e bonnet to clear the pin

Step 6 - make a bracket and mount the engagement pin (note after fitting the flared side panel

Step 7 - repeat on other  side


Flared Side Panels (removable)

Step 1 - drill out the current side panel rivets and cut the panel just in front of the footwell bulkhead - I took the opportunity to clean off some slight rust and repaint the chassis 

Step 2 - cut the top edge of the new panel to length/shape (including ARB cut-out) and drill the upper mounting holes using a 'hole finder' and 'clecos'

Step 3 - drill the mounting holes out to 7mm, countersink and fit M5 rivnuts

no photo

Step 4 - drill the lower mounting holes using a 'hole finder'

no photo

Step 5 - mark and cut the side edge of the flared panel following the angle of the scuttle



Step 6 - make a template for the grill - using the profile of the old/new panel at the new cut angle

Step 7 - mark out, cut and form the grill, then touch up

Step 8 - bond the grill to the flared panel witk sikaflex - use self adhesive foam to protect the inner panel (following the masking tape)

Step 9 - repeat with n/s needing the exhaust & exhaust manifold removed and extra cut out.


Now just need to get the car out of the garage for a good clean and polish.

3D Printing

Having decided to enter the world of 3D printing after printing a couple of owls I made the first part for the car.

When I first built the car I fitted a Hella hi-level rear brake light to the roll bar unfortunately it was flat against a round bar so I filled the gap with self adhesive foam that's got shabby over the years.  Quinten - a regular poster on the WSCC Forum had the same problem and designed a filler plate that he provided me a copy of the design.  After downloading the CAD file I loaded it into the slicer software - Cura - to make it compatible with the printer.  Once copied onto an SD card and loaded into the printer you select the file and off it goes - well once you've levelled it and the plate and nozzle are up to temperature.

halfway through the print of one half

 The old foam

The new filler fitted, needs to be moved to the o/s slightly