transalpian

Thanks for the condolences. He was a great guy who is missed by many. And thanks to the board, its been too short, but fun all the same. The Birkin sold this morning.

Greetings! Due to some life and medical changes, my short-owned Birkin S3 is now for sale. I have only owned this car since September of 2013 but it is time for it to find a new home. The car runs fantastically, 10/10. Cosmetically, its a 9.5/10. The few times I've had to drive it, it's been an amazing experience. However, the recent racing-related death of a dear friend has pretty much guaranteed I won't drive it again. http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/18/37br.jpg The Birkin kit was originally purchased from Texas Motorsport by Sheldon Arkow in 2001. He finished it in a high quality standard with a Zetec 2L. Sheldon was/is a pharmacist and also built several USAC midget race cars. His engine guy was John Slomsky, an area podiatrist. They put a lot of money and time into the build. I have the donor car receipts for the engine and transmission (along with many other items). The engine has a water rail and runs an electric water pump for a very simple alternator belt routing and less parasitic drag on the engine. Engine temps stay very steady and uniform. It is fuel injected (Ford system) and has an OBD plug for the Ford computer. I've not checked that the connection works. The 5spd transmission shifts as it should with a Howe Engineering hydraulic clutch and a Sachs super heavy duty clutch disk. The starter is a Ford unit and has been relocated to the passenger side to avoid the exhaust heat. Sheldon had an adapter plate water jet milled and its a neat installation (I have the template for the plate as well). Exhaust is all stainless with the aluminum cover over the muffler as shown. In the cockpit, she runs VDO gauges (tach is orig birkin supply), has the birkin seats, carpets, wind deflectors, heater, and removable steering wheel with two sizes of Momo wheels, one round leather, one suede d-shape with open top for better gauge visibility. Sound/heat deadening materials have been installed in the footwells. Wipers, washers, horn, turn signals, high and low beam headlights all work. There is a turn signal reminder buzzer. All canvas is included and in good shape including top, doors, and tonneau cover. Driver seat belt is a four point harness. Passenger is the three point retractable belt but I have another harness to be installed there. Wheels are new Konigs. Tires are nearly new BFG. The spare is a different tire, but has the same Konig wheel. The wheels that were on the car when I bought it are part of the sale. An enameled black and silver Lotus badge is mounted on the nose. It is a 1968 period correct badge. The car has traveled under 3000 miles since titled in 2008. It was inspected and titled by the Ohio State Patrol. There is no rust or corrosion and the car has never been in snow, ice, or salt. Minor faults include a small scuff on the back of the passenger side rear fender, the heater blower doesn't work, the parking brake boot comes loose from the floor, and the drivers side carpet needs a better method of being secured. I'm 5'10" with longer legs. To get all the room I could, I've got the pedals all the way forward and have redrilled the seat base to move it back as far as possible (extra space gained by removal of drivers 3 point belt retractor). I fit. Right now, the car is safely stored in my snow covered garage in southern Ohio but I can get any pictures you need. I need $17,000 for the car.

Without moving this thread even further from the OP, has she earned a rating yet? My daughters both fence epee, but are still too you to earn that first rating (likely the E). Great sport, isn't it!

Thanks for the leads! I found a "garage sale" priced 15" seat with cover from Speedway Motors for $99. Let the beating to fit begin (fitting both me and the car...)

Fencing as in foil, epee, saber? Or fencing as in chain link?

PM sent, but forgot to ask which model seat you have...

Used to make. I contacted Ultrashield and was told they no longer manufacture the seat. Oh well, it was a good try. Anyone have a old 15" seat laying around they'd part with (and not get too worked up when I start cutting it up)? And thanks for the offer EviL, but despite our adjoining states, we are about as far apart as possible!

That's how they all mount. It looks like yours are held on with four bolts? If so, that surprises me as the lamps were designed to use three, one of which provides the ground connection to the body. But of course fiberglass isn't the best ground conductor...

Same lamp, but from British Pacific http://www.roverparts.com/Parts/3736.cfm $17.95 each. From Rovers North http://landroverparts.roversnorth.com/ProductDesc.aspx?code=PLF199&type=0 $15.95 each. I cut the plastic lamp holder from the mounting flange and superglued in a metal lampholder. Easier to do than to explain. I also have ground "issues" (as almost all series owners do) so I bought a lamp holder with a direct wired ground rather than relying on the body ground. Rovers North also sells an LED replacement (but not direct replacement, the bolt patterns are different): http://landroverparts.roversnorth.com/ProductDesc.aspx?code=LED6388&type=0 $29.95 each. Lots of options, none great.

Being a Rover owner too ('74 series 3 88") I will caution you on those lamps. The bulb holders are often (way too often...) very soft plastic that don't hold the bulbs in place. The contact springs will often push the bulb completely out of the socket leaving but a nice groove the shape of the bulb bayonette, with the now broken bulb ratting about inside the lens. I have resorted to buying these things, gutting the lamp holder, and splicing in a standard metal lamp holder from NAPA. Even after all that, the posts that "catch" the screws used to hold the lens in place will strip if you either a) remove them more than 4 times, or b) apply more than 1oz-in of torque. I wish I had a better option to offer, but this is a so-far unsolved issue in the Rover community.

I'm looking for a 15" race seat, something like a Ultrashield mazda spec. This seat will be a trial, so used is ideal! Thanks

The wcm is nice. Probably a rip with that powertrain. The cat, I think you'd need to be under 5" to fit, not 5'.

no counterbalance weight? very impressive...

This is something I should know, but I don't. I don't know what rear end I have in my Birkin. It is a S3 with a Zetec 2.0L motor with a ford 5-speed tranny. It has rear disk brakes and a reported 4:11 rear end ratio (I have not checked). If it has a LSD, it doesn't work well or at all so I'm guessing peg leg. The lug bolt pattern is 4x100mm, for what that's worth. What is the best way to go about determining what I have? Cold weather is setting in and I'm beginning the dreaming about winter upgrade projects. As a result, I'm trying to determine what I really have.

I like that! Is it a model 27 (270mm)? If so, I think the model 12 at 250mm might be too small. Thanks for the photo!