Marine7

Duane, I have the part number for teh CPS at home and will send it when I return. You definately need the one for a standard car and not the Auto. I'll take a photo of the mount as well. I swapped out my oil seperator for a billet one offered by Central Florida Motorsports. Its smaller and makes pulling the engine easier (the stock one fouls the drivers footwell). You'll definately need one either way. Blocking it off is a sure way to build excess crankcase pressure. You'll need a shield for the intake side flywheel to keep stones out. Nothing fancy. Use cardboard to make a template and transfer to lightweight scrap sheetmetal. If you're using the raceline pan, make sure you follow their instructions for marking the dipstick. The stock dipstick marks wont be valid for the low profile sump. Good luck Jason

Duane, Nice looking bracket. Great welds. As you know, I mounted my alternator directly to the block but I prefer your bracket. I was able to swap out pulleys for nothing at a local alternator rebuild shop. If you're utilizing the stock muffler, Dick Brink has a factory one with side turnout. Just a thought. I love the foam idea. The Birkin rear trunk is a bit odd. It's also a pain to remove and get to the rear shock mounts. Please post some "after" shots when you finish. rgds Jason

John, Running right at 40psi which should be right in the wheelhouse. I'd had the same thought, but it appears to be holding (at least while stationary) through the rev range. I'll check a few things and get back to the base map to start over. Thanks for the help. Jason

John, I'll double check the TPS tonight. My AFR conclusions are based on the AFR meter. I havent been able to get the ECU to data log per se, nor have I been successful in any closed loop running. Apparently I'm not within the narrow closed loop settings required to store corrections. I've got a lot to learn. So, I'll start over. Reload the base map. Check TPS and verify injection scaling. I'll post my findings asap. Thanks again to all for the advice. Jason

Thanks very much. The Emerald appears to be a nice system, but I'm frustrated at the poorly written manual for a novice like me. I suspect that I need to focus my efforts on fueling and not ignition since my AFR is indicating a very lean running. The engine starts fairly quickly and settles into a constant albiet slightly rough idle. The car can be driven and part throttle is ok, however power delivery is non existant. Engine makes great noises, but no power. There is no mid-range. In fact, I doubt I could get the tires to brake loose even at low speed. Thanks for everyones patience and advice. Regards Jason

Ok, my original question hasnt garnered any responses so I'll refine my querry a bit. I have a base map and want to tweak it for more power. What is the safe max advance I should apply? I have searched the internet and have come up with various maps for Zetecs(none perfectly match my car configuration) with some running 28 and some up to 34 deg total advance. The base map has 5 deg at idle and max 20 at WOT. I plan to add 5 deg across the curve and do a test drive. Dyno sessions are in the distant future. For now I'm looking for driveability. 01 Zetec 3 45MM Jenvey ITB's Stock head and Cams Emerald ECU Techedge wideband Any thoughts? Thanks Jason

yikes, makes me think twice about my brooklands... then again, that would have gone straight through the slab sided normal front windscreen as well. At least with my brookies, it might just go right on over the top and get the guy behind me...

Got my birkin out for it's real first test drive. Nothing fell off, broke, and I made it home just fine. However, it feels low on power. I suspect it's my ignition advance. I'd love to see others maps for comparison. I'm running a 2.0 liter Zetec 3 with jenvey 45mm throttle bodies, emerald ECU, stock head and cams. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Jason

Wow... What a couple of absolutely beautiful cars! I'd like to hear more about both. Anyone who thinks that miata doesnt look the business should have their glasses fixed.

Tell me more about your switch panel. Where did you find the switch guards? I like it a lot better than mine. Rgds Jason

If it were me... and its not. I'd think about going with a BRG colored wheel with a yellow rim stripe with similar colors on the mouth of the nose cone. The dark green will be subtle and would be a nice tribute to the Chapman era... My $.02 Cant really go wrong, can ya? Rgds Jason

Bruce, Thanks very much. I'm hoping the paperwork I've got will suffice in proving the engine was purchased prior to 2008. What I dont have is a receipt for the tranny specifically, so I'm bracing for the worst. According to the DMV, I am required to make an appointment with an inspector and am required to tow the vehicle to the only inspection site in central Ct. The DMV regs specifically say that "no wheel of the vehicle may touch the ground until an inspection is completed..." So now I need to procure a trailer for my inspection. This should be a real adventure! Cheers Jason

Yep, I need to meet up with Budlight (Bruce) in person. I purchased the car as a roller from him about 2 yrs ago. He's a true gentleman and has been a wealth of info during my build. Rural connecticut is a drivers paradise compared with SE Texas. Nice cool temps arent bad either. In fact, I've just about talked myself into a blat (with or without plates) this next weekend...

photos did upload, here goes again:

Over the past year, Barry Benson (aka 2002 Birkin No 1986) and family have relocated to Fairfield County, Connecticut. Its taken me months of piddling (15 minutes here, 15 there) but I've finally reached the point that I can say the car is finished! Yesterday I installed the wideband 02 sensor, successfully talked to the ECU and laptop so now its time to get some road miles (and closed loop motoring for those of you with Emerald ECU's). I've temporarily abandoned the clamshell idea due to issues with brackets (long story), but kept the brooklands and solo style roll hoop. Ultimately I'm trying to get the look of a old school raceer... I've still got to clean up my wiring a bit, mount an oil catch can and install the passenger seat. Looks like I'm just in time for spring! I am not looking forward to the Connecticut DMV. If anyone has advice, I'm all ears. Here are some shots from today: Happy motoring! Jason

Beautiful car. What is it? I particularly like the tripple wiper setup. I also like the way you've mounted the mirrors on brookland screen. I've struggled with a good setup that allows me to swap between brooklands and standard windscreen without adding holes to the bonnet.

Jackal, Yep, exactly the same problem I had when looking for a solution for my Birkin alternator. The diagonal brace you mentioned is not a problem for Caterhams, but is for the Birkin. You need to find a way to mount the alternator lower and closer to the block while still clearing the oil filter. Seems simple enough, but making if work on an engine in the car is a real pain. I mocked my solution up utilizing the crate motor I had at the time out of the car. Good luck and keep us informed. I'm very interested in how others have solved the problem. Jason

I hear ya. It had me dead in my tracks for months. With limited time and fabrication resources, I searched high and low for an "off the shelf" solution. I did see a photo of an alternator that was mounted on a plate and faced the engine. The benefit being that our cars have plenty of room under the nose cone. It was a one-off setup, but a neat idea regardless. Keep us updated on your progress. Jason

sorry my ipad wouldnt let me post the pics with my reply. Here they are: Good luck

Here are some photos. The parts I utilized were the idler pulley from race line (but others should work as it's a static part), a camshaft timing belt tensioner pulley (Ford 6k254) a solid alloy spacer I turned down from some bar stock I had around, (anything will work, it just acts as a spacer for the tensioner pulley), 6 rib micro v belt 400j6 from belt palace.com, and a Denso 60 amp mini racing alternator (powermaster pn p668162 or similar as I found on eBay for a lot less). I hope the pictures help explain how I solved the problem. It simple, robust, and very lightweight. Good luck and don't hesitate to ask questions. Jason

I thought the Dunnel solution would work as well, but after speaking to Paul (Dunnel) he had his doubts. That is why I ended up with my own simple solution. I'll take pics tonight and post asap. rgds Jason

You might try callling the guys at raceline direct. It's a two-man operation and they tend to focus more on projects than answering the phone. That said, I like their products and when they do arrive, they look great. I too tried their alternator bracket on my zetec 1 and zetec3 powered Birkin. However, I found that the Birkin has a diagonal frame brace that runs essentially from the front upper radiator frame brace to the right front upper frame rail (near the suspension shock mount) that prevented me from using their alternator bracket. (I'd even bought their alternator) So after months phone calls, emails and waiting, I finally received the bracket and realized it wouldnt work and sent it back. Oh and getting my money back took just as long... Beware of the minor differences between the Birkin and Catarham. This one has proven to be a real pain for me. I ended up buying a very small 60 amp racing alternator and untilized the mounting lug on the alternator body to mount directly to the block face. Way too simple... I can take a picture if you like. Dunnel has a similar alternator bracket and alternator assembly that might work, but I never tried it in the end. good luck with the build Jason

I have excellent results with POR 15 engine enamel. It comes in a wide variety of colors to match the OEM block color if desired. The key is to use their metal prep and cleaner. Prep is everything. Having said that, if I were just touching up a block that didnt have 40yrs of grime etc on it, I'd go with simple hi-temp auto engine paint. I've used several POR 15 products over the years and have found them very good. The key to success or failure is to follow their directions exactly as stated. Cleanliness and prep is the abssolute key. good luck Jason

Stan, What model Caterham did the doors come from? I tried a friends early Series 3 doors on my Birkin, but they didnt appear to fit. I must admit, I didnt try very hard. I'd love to fit a set of half doors to my car as it's getting a bit nippy up here in CT... Thanks Jason