MV8

Probably just bead blast, charcoal grey around the cosworth lettering, then a light coat of heat resistant clear. I assume you don't want to mess around with chromic acid coatings. Superior wood wheel is universal. A hub kit determines what it will fit.

Not pretty, but a .050" steel sheet over the top of the header with the back closed down the pan rail (open front and bottom) would help a lot for tunnel heat. It could attach to the header with standoffs or a chassis diagonal tube if equipped. Downside is the starter would get warmer if on the same side. Anything over the top along the head and down the back of the head would help to reduce the airflow into the tunnel. Why steel? Steel is a much better heat shield than aluminum. The thermal conductivity of 3003 sheet is about 162 watts per kelvin per meter where sheet steel is around 45-50w/mk.

I don't know much of anything about your electrical system. I don't believe it is a battery issue. I suggest turning the key to the run position and manipulating the trigger to cause fuel/spark to occur as a test without engaging the starter.

As I understand it, facing forward, closest foot in, head against the inside of the passenger side "door", then drag in the opposite foot. A removable steering wheel would be a nice option. There are bigger versions with room.

Early cars had a remote linkage on top of the tunnel. Later cars used a modified triumph shifter extension housing that bolts to the transmission main case. Is there a hole under the "medallion"? I guess it may be am arm rest to keep from cooking the elbow. Acrylic tail lamp lenses darken with age. If you every need a new one, get two so they match.

Check your filter between the regulator and the carbs. Those regulators are a pre-ethanol design and may break down using today's fuels. Otherwise, a replacement facet 574a is available as a box or cylinder pump. You could fit a gerotor that doesn't require a regulator. Fuel supply discussion:

Nice detail in the construction of the bonnet with ribbing, returned edges, integral support bar and remote latch.

Sounds like you don't want to do a full resto. I'd tape the holes and fill the rails with metal prep/phosphorous and let it sit a few days before draining to dry, followed by the same process with boiled linseed oil, fill the old rivet holes with a mig and grind flat so if the new holes will not need to be exactly where the old ones were and if they happen to be, the rivets will hold. When filling close to a brazed joint, wrap it with a wet rag just in case. I'd start with a cold chassis close to the joints, working away, pausing and alternating to keep the peak heat down and prevent potential warping with thin wall tube. Similar to welding thin sheet steel. Green scotchbrite pads applied with wd40 (rubbed longitudinally only) make a nice brushed finish that is low maintenance and can hide a degree of imperfection.

I misread your initial question. I thought you were asking if the China knock offs have the same jets as an actual solex.

A grin, a wink, a bag of crisps, and he's off!

https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GRID005421

Were you comparing to jets you had on-hand or an original carb? Was it the thread? Numbering? Completely different design? Just curious.

If what you have on the car now is wilwood, a replacement should include two sizes of reservoir along with the parts for remote or direct mount. This assumes master above the pedals but I have seen birkins with floor mount that should have remote reservoirs. A smaller reservoir for brake circuits means checking the level more often and keeping it topped off, and opening the bleeder to remove fluid when seating the piston for new pads to avoid a mess at the master.

The wheels look original. The rear centers and hoops could be saved with a lot of work. You might try Stockton Wheel. New universal hoops are available spun or rolled in different gauges and sizes from a few suppliers. I'd look for aluminum rims to fit. The radiator steel upper neck mod looks to be soldered on to the brass tank so a hand torch and some heat could remove it for modification to a single neck or you could add the remote fill tank it seems made for instead of fitting a upper neck /filler combo to the head.

Mighty fine locost replica using mgb and honda civic rad with an interesting ifs adjustment, but $20k?

Is that a cup holder with the bottom cut out to vent to a ball valve? Could be effective. I wonder if anyone has spaced the rear fenders away from the body an inch or vented front to back inboard of the tire to reduce the drag and high pressure that contributes to the buffeting.

Only if it runs cooler with the heater valve open and the heater fan on high speed. What are the cooling issues? Around town in traffic? Highway? How hot? Radiator flushed? Pics of the cooling system might help to figure it out.

I don't know if this is a factor, but the nylon tube is fully seated in the gauge/engine fitting before bringing the ferrule and nut down the tube to thread snug. The nylon will be protruding from the ferrule if it was seated correctly during installation. If not, the nylon can be re-terminated and the piece stuck inside the ferrule removed with a razor blade. It bites into the nylon when you tighten the nut. You can lightly snug, run the engine, and tighten the nut enough to stop the observed leak. Too tight and the gauge/engine fitting threads will be damaged.

If using the original type clutch cable system, adjust the cable eye bolt to leave the eye free to rotate freely. Cables typically fail from being forced to bend repeatedly near the crimped/swedged end fitting. It sounds like the cables from across the pond are too thin for the load since they stretch or it could be the wire rope they use is not pre-stretched/test loaded. The oem pinto cable looks heavier duty but it is only 44.5 inches, though that might work with LHD and a pinto bell and fork. The mustang II v8 cable is a little longer version of the pinto at 53 inches but with an unusual, captive adjustment nut. A marine, industrial, commercial, or custom cable can be made with just a few measurements. Look for a 500lb working load for reduced stretching/adjustment and 5/16-24 ends for using rod ends. Grooved housing on both ends is fine (no need for a threaded housing). The two bolt groove clamps are not included. Don't use a morse type cable with a rigid end on the pedal side since the end attached to the pedal would move vertically with pedal travel but the housing mounting angle to the firewall is fixed. You need to know the necessary cable travel also or just use the trans donor specs.

Yes. No need to remove the skin if you use a block of wood across the corner that will lift on the rocker rail and the cross rail.

The ones I've seen can be towed and jacked but I think "correct" is a stretch as the tow points seem to be optional or left off by the builders. If you have a cage and rear diffuser and need to pull the car on to a flat bed/dolly/trailer, a strap around a cage tube could be used without damaging anything. For jacking, the rocker rails behind the side pipes would work well for front and rear. Consider slipping a board or rubber pad between the jack and rail to prevent scratches from the jacking pad/foot. If it is too low for a standard floor jack to slide under, roll the car on boards or use a 2x4x8 (narrow side up) with a 2x4 cleat two feet from the end to lift against the chassis rail without pushing on the exhaust to bring it up enough to use a floor jack. You could also lift at the cage. A version of the '60's pit jack would work well. They work similar to a hand truck with a reversed handle and are made to engage a flat surface over a large area. They had wood or rubber strips attached to prevent scratches.

I've had tilton and oem concentrics. I advise against concentric. Traditional external slave and cable systems fit but both require maintenance.

Makes sense. Oem concentric slaves and brake calipers have dust seals to protect the hydraulic seals. Most aftermarket parts do not. Full fluid change bleeding could slow it down. Oem masters also have a rubber boot over the fluid to minimize the amount of water absorbed by the fluid where many have the traditional pin hole in the cap open to atmosphere (standard older british design).

Head rests can be made that attach to the seat backs or the firewall or a vertically adjustable bolt-in cross bar that can be padded or have a mount for a head rest. Your upholsterer can cover the final design. A side view of where the cushion needs to be at the same height and pics of the seat back and firewall could provide some ideas. Another option is to use seats using trimmed to width, existing seats with head rests. Remove the tracks if too high, section the steel frame as needed (welding), cut the seat foam to fit the narrowed frames, then have your upholsterer recover. The seat frame could be narrowed to clear an seat back adjuster on the side but would your rear still fit in the middle? I doubt mine would. Look at basic seats for fiero, miata, dodge neon, chevy cobalt, etc. If you want seats and no arts and craft work, look at the Cobra offerings. Measure the width of the space for an overall seat max width.

This all assumes we are capable of reaching and operating an on-board extinguisher after something bad happens. Engineering and condition are more important. Steel fuel and brake lines, minimal rubber hose of the right type in good condition, routing hoses away from exhaust, tank venting with a check valve away from a potential vapor collection point under the car, and electric pump auto shutoff from inertia, minimum oil pressure, or minimum engine air flow should be part of the plan. None of these things cost very much to do yourself in upgrading an early cat and most are essentially invisible. I'd feel safer on a track with people paying attention. I wouldn't assume anybody is coming to help on the road.