MBEARDEN

I had the same question about the yellow stripe on my Birkin...I tried the Duplicolor Yellow Ford touchup paint...It was a perfect match and only about $6...worth a try.

The MidAtlantic kit is the long term solution. I will have to source the idler and tensioner from a junk yard...the MidAtlantic kit shows moving the tensioner from the top right of the engine to its original location...but leaving an angle bracket the the kit bolts onto...does anyone know where to obtain this bracket?

I have tried belt dressing...it helps for about 30 seconds. One person suggested loosening the belt...I loosened it to the it looks like it might come off but the noise is gone...at least for now.

Could not upload the IPAD photos so the IPhone photos will have to do...any thoughts about how to fix the noise.

I don't have the idler below the alternator or the one midway on the top.

I have the Raceline ITBs now and want to change to K & Ns

My 03 Birkin yellow top Zetec has a constant belt squeal. The problem appears to be the junk belt idler bracket. The front of my engine only has 4 pulleys...alternator top left, engine bottom, water pump right below the idler/adjuster bracket. The bracket is a sheet aluminum piece across the entire front of the motor. Apparently engineered by an idiot, over time the sheet aluminum has flexed forward making the belt out of line and squealing at the engine pulley. I have pictures but cannot figure out how to attach from my IPAD. Looked at the Sevens & Élan and the MidAtlantic kits but don't think they will fit. Any thoughts?

The ITB filter on my Zetec is crumbling and needs to be replaced...Since all of my other cars have K&N filters I thought about changing. I have Raceline throttle bodies. How much trouble is this and does anyone know which filters , base plate and any other parts are needed? Thanks for the help.

Does anyone have one of the "shower caps" like that sold by "Soft Bits for Sevens" for a seven that would be for sale? I have had like covers for other convertibles.

I replaced the weak Ford starter with the Gustafson starter...it really spins the motor...the old starter worked fine when the car was cold...but could hardly turn over when hot.

On the second car I offered him mid $20s for it last year and he was insulted...I think that one time the bid on EBay got to within a few hundred dollars of the Buy It Now price and it did not sell...looked funny to me too.

I looked for a pop open vent too...something like the pop up cowl vent on older pickup trucks...no luck either. Surely someone makes something like this...I have gone through marine part catalogs with no luck.

I couldn't figure out how to run a hose from the front of my Birkin to the footwell, if I did it be running through a very hot area... I think the best option is the boat vent into the footwell. I had also thought about some sort of vent on the cowl in front of the window. My car has clamshells which makes positioning the side vent more difficult...one vent for each footwell and one maybe above the fender into the side of the hood to push some more outside air under the hood. Most of the heat we have is trapped under the hood...when I drove my car with the hood off the interior was noticably more comfortable.

If I am not mistaken the fuel line runs through the console...a few weeks ago I lined the inside of the console with Eastwood heat insulation with the foil refective layer...which made a dramatic improvement in cockpit temp...but maybe the heat is boiling the fuel in the line?

Both times the pump has done this the tank has been less that half full...I will fill it up and see if that helps...it's only supposed to be 105 today. I expect the builder in Illinois bonded the fiberglass tub to the body...no reason to do it that way...must have thought it would stiffen the car. It will be a mess to cut it out.

I noticed a whirring sound the other day driving my 03 Zetec Birkin...the sound seemed to be coming from the engine area but is the fuel pump. This has happened twice, both times in very hot weather...over 100 degrees. Most of the time when I start it the fuel pump runs for 5-8 seconds and then is silent. Now it is running non-stop. If I turn the car off it and restart it...it runs for5-8 seconds and them stops...drive a while and then whirring starts. Someone has bonded the trunk interior to the car...If I have to remove it to change the fuel pump it will have to be cut out and replaced. The car runs fine...no problems. Any thoughts?

Foot room is important too...my Birkin has adjustable pedals...I am 5" 9" and can't even touch the pedals at the longest setting ...the pedal box is narrow though...if you are much above a size ten shoe you may have foot room issues. I think all of these cars are hot and there is no air flow in the foot area...equaling hot feet.

Is that a CD player? Looks very nice.

Just wondering where you got the footwell vents...I have been looking for something like those vents....were they from a boat? Amazing car.

Lights...check them the night before you leave...just before you leave...whenever you stop for gas. If you have an open trailer...throw them away every year or two, replace and rewire the whole system. I always stop a few blocks from home...check the lights, chains and jump on the hitch to make sure it"s tight. If you have the Converta-a Balls on your hitch...make sure the pin is in line with the bumper so it can't slide into the back of the hitch...thereby releasing your trailer from the hitch...a friend learned this lesson the hard way when his trailer and two four wheelers got loose.

Try Hambuger Performance....they have spreader and bolt kits...not very expensive and you only need the spreaders...they also have them for valve covers.

I agree it's going to be a challenge. Wasn't there a lime green car for sale here within the last 6 months...owner was moving west and needed to get the car sold...it was not quite street legal?

Took the Birkin out this evening...left the hood in the garage. 89 degrees with 45 % humidity. I could feel some heat in the footwell but not excessive. There appeared to be minimal heat from the console or firewall. Overall a very comfortable drive. Drivers footwell temp ( with a kitchen thermometer) was 89f degrees...just a little ventilation would have been great. Put the hood back on and took the same drive...noticeable footwell heat and a lot of console heat...footwell temp was 98f degrees. The heat radiates from the console and firewall...the Birkini top cuts down some cockpit ventilation. The second drive was not nearly as comfortable. Passenger footwell was about 5 degrees cooler either way. The water temp was hotter by 10-15C with the hood on. If you could flush the underhood with outside air I think a lot of the heat issues would go away.

Just a thought ...but has anyone driven their car with the hood left off to see if the heat is being trapped by the hood?

Taking the console out of the Birkin this weekend to so some insulating and thought about the driveshaft hoop issue...I may be off base with this idea but what about making a couple of hoops out of 2 inch nylon strapping ( Tie Downs)...and bolting them to the floor channels. It would be easier to fabricate for most of us.