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!

Do you happen to have any pictures, showing it in place? You're right on the price, seems like the best price is about $230... Not likely, I've shaved every 1/4" out of it to allow me to clear the roof (not that I use it much). As it is, my sightline is right at the top the windscreen frame...

Greetings again! My birkin s3 has a 280mm round momo steering wheel on a quick release, using the momo 6 bolt adapter. I can't see the guages. If I go bigger diameter and look through the wheel to see the guages, even with the quick release to get in and out, I don't think I'd fit under the wheel. I'm thinking about an open top D-shaped (formula style) steering wheel. If I stay momo, I'm thinking the model 12 cut top, like this: http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/8409/ydgm.jpg Its 250mm wide x 165mm high. I would eliminate the momo 6 bolt adapter and drill the new wheel to fit my 3-bolt quick release. OMP makes nearly the same wheel, they call it the Indy Open. I "think" this type of wheel would have the benefit of being smaller, closer to the dashboard, and with the open top would reduce if not eliminate my sightline problem. Thoughts on this? Anyone tried this wheel? Are there other wheels available that aren't $250? Are there other solutions to the sightline problem? Disclaimer - Yes, I know. This steering wheel is likely not in compliance with all (any?) DOT requirements.

My birkin is left hand drive. I have the pedals all the way forward and the seat all the way back. My legs are very comfortable, unless I'm driving on the freeway. When I'm just droning along, I don't know where to rest my foot! I can get my foot onto the floor, below the clutch pedal. But its a bit too snug for an easy transition to the pedal, in a panic stop for example. I find myself hovering my foot over the clutch which is tiring. What do you all do? I'm imagining a small angle bracket, secured to the sidewall with adhesive. Just enough to catch the edge of my shoe, but not so large to cause interference. Thoughts?

Good question. I really didn't drive it much prior to the project. Technically, I know more HP is getting to the wheels. Can I feel it? I'll say yes, just so I feel better.

Pump is installed and works great. I removed the tstat and used two generic flexible radiator hoses. I ended up using a 4 rib belt as that was all I could find in 30" long. Bottom line, no more belt squeal. Water temps hold 160-180 on a couple 10 minute mixed driving runs, including start-stop city driving. The pump itself is a quality piece. Anodized aluminum and makes a cool turbine sound when spooling up. Honestly, its quieter than my fuel pump. This project is a rare unqualified sucess for me!

And while I'm asking, does anybody have any favorite universal radiator hose system? I've seen the Spectre Stainless Steel Flex Hoses, but never used them. Any preferences?

The pump arrived last night! I had just enough time to hold it in place and sketch a bracket. It looks like it will fit nicely in the lower rad hose. I will be mounting the pump from the cross member that also supports the rack/pinion. The pump is relatively light and the hoses will provide additional lateral support. As I am sometimes absent minded, I plan to get my relay sensing voltage from the ignition circuit. In other words, the pump will run when the key is on. The instructions that came with the pump recommend using a toggle switch, but I fear I'd forget to turn it on! I plan on leaving the existing pump in place (without the pulley and obviously no longer driven by the engine). When I got everything apart, my leak was a loose upper radiator hose, not the pump. On the old configuration, once I got it apart, everything spun quietly (water pump, alternator, and tensioner) so I really must assume the squeal was from the lack of wrap on either the crank or water pump pulleys. The old belt was really tight as it came from the PO, much tighter than I prefer. More to come!

You think like an engineer!

Pump was ordered today. Without thinking too much, with the pump no longer in the water jacket, I think I need to remove the thermostat to always have coolant circulating. Thoughts?

Good point about the stretch. I prefer simple though, so I'll try it without the idler first and see how it goes. Easy enough to add later if needed. I really think my belt noise was coming from a lot of sources including the water pump and crank pulleys. Just not enough wrap arc. Oh well, that's why I call all new-to-me cars projects. What are your thoughts on the blanking plate? My current thinking is to modify the water pump cartridge by removing the impellor, bearings, and shaft and then plug the "hole". Sounds easier than fabricating a new plate and I know the mating surfaces seal.