Vovchandr Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 (edited) For those of us who actually have to put our cars away in the winter, it gives us a good opportunity to plan and procrastinate on upgrades to the car while it's down/away. I plan to * rewire the headlights to have a disconnect plug and use the new front "lower" mount points that site closer to the front. * have the 620R nosecone painted and mounted * swap the rollcage from old style single diagonal to new style double diagonal * lower the nose so I stop having the raised rake as I was told I have during the NJMP day * get the tuning software issues figured out etc etc :auto: Edited October 7, 2019 by Vovchandr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCh Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 Small list for me: Refresh and upgrade the engine, repack the silencer, install AEM WBO2 (replacing old Innovate LC1 and will be incorporated into new engine loom), replace failing heat barrier on tub by header, aesthetic clean up under bonnet wiring, re-torque everything, check suspension wear items, and a few other things I don't yet realize are needed Who else has big plans? -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 Since Sebastian and Simon W are going for 297hp Duratecs with their winter upgrade then I think I need to go bigger. Maybe a new Caterham, bulk hp and fatter new wheels/tires? A Millington engine is the ticket here - visiting them this Friday: https://www.millingtonengines.co.uk/new-engines/ Really need Simon and Seb to confirm their winter plans so I can settle my engine spec. :troll: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCh Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 Why wait for their plans and be reactionary? Be offensive (you're good at it :jester: ) and set a high bar to which they need to respond. -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBDA Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 I'll play. Here's my winter list. Was never intended for public consumption, so some of it might be meaningless to anyone but me: Right rear tire leak Check coolant hoses for leaks Fix oil leaks Oil tank extra outlet Front left hoses Oil check valve Carb throttle catching New throttle cable - reverse operation at carbs Carb screw that’s stuck Rebuild carbs Aim headlights or new headlights Windscreen back on Pad left shoulder area or new seat Mud flaps Replace broken snaps on car and tonneau cover New 6 pt belts New helmet? (current is Snell 2010) Better GoPro microphone mounting Replace gauge lights Blacken grayed switches Determine differential ratio New differential? Differential axle seals Fire extinguisher Figure out why right rear is higher Carpets/floor mats Have alternator tested Front wheel bearings adjust or replace Alignment Make extender so top can be used with high roll bar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 I have been busy cleaning up my UK Caterham. A nice detail, some polishing, full servicing, new front wing brackets, a Tillet seat - bling bling! All ready now for first event of the year first week of MArch at Donington UK. Spa-Francorchamps then follows two weeks later. Who is coming with me to Spa-Francorchamps this year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCh Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 Holy crap, how many hours did it take your lackeys to achieve that shine on your exhaust system?? That's impressive! -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locost7018 Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 Going to replace the front "A" arm bushings and install new Wilwood 4 pot calipers $$$$$. Rebuild the seat bases also. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfonse Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 I already changed the motor oil. I'll pull the aero off the back and change the diff fluid, then the tranny fluid. I bleed the brakes every spring before the first track day. So, just the diff and tranny fluid aren't annual items. My T9 has both a drain and fill provision, so pretty easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wemtd Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 Just for those pictures I think the "poo brown" and "Crimson" polisher awards both need reassignment to Croc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 Winter plans..... Get the house sold in AR and get the family relo’d to AL Find a new homestead with an existing shop, or build to suit Aquire aircraft type rating number 7: CE-680, Citation Sovereign More basketball with the kids Dabble in the world of Miatas with my 16 year old son Father daughter dates Rock crawling and trail riding in north AL and western TN (new adventure ; returning to my roots of playing in the dirt...this may help explain why I’ve had off road excursions at pretty much every track I’ve ever run) Continue settling onto the new job (flying with a great group of guys) Enjoy visits with my parents (closest I’ve been to them in thirty years) Eat Texas BBQ brisket at the likes of Hard Eight and Big Jakes As for the Stalker, it needs nothing more than a track day at Barber (not going to polish anything) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 Holy crap, how many hours did it take your lackeys to achieve that shine on your exhaust system?? That's impressive! -John Minions dear, minions! Just for those pictures I think the "poo brown" and "Crimson" polisher awards both need reassignment to Croc I don't think so. I already have the burnt orange chairs of shame in my office. I solve that problem by rarely being there and traveling constantly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 Dabble in the world of Miatas with my 16 year old son When does he get his license? Maybe bring him up to NJMP and we let him loose in the Stalker in the green group? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 (edited) In the 420R I also switched to a new type of Tillett that angled the backrest in such a way that I did not have to be an orangutang to use it - you know legs to short and arms too long. So I visited Tillet on the Isle of Sheppey in UK and had a fitting session with Steve Tillett. Excellent time spent. They had a seat that accommodated my vast bulk and fitted my Caterham. The only downside is that the production line wait times are up to 4 months now with Tillett. They are so successful that they cannot turn the products out quick enough. On the seat front, with the assistance of Ian (many of you have met him at the NJMP event - he mechanically saves us along with TJ), I decided to make a resin bead seat for my CSR. So I bought this kit: https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=4525 My first lesson - the XL size is too big for the bathtub area of a Caterham SV even after removing everything there. Hindsight says it should have been a Large or possibly a Medium. So step 1 is vacuum out all the grvel and detrius from a year on track. Step 2 is tape or cardboard over all the sharp protrusions in the space that would otherwise threaten to rip the plastic bag of beads and cause them to flow everywhere in the cockpit. So bolts, chassis tube ends/braces, belt buckles, etc Step 3 is trial fit of bead bag (no resin yet). This test showed pretty quickly that we had too many beads in the bag. So about 25% to 35% came out and we test fit again. That was better. Step 4 is prepare for the vacuum - there is a hose into the bag. You connect it to a vacuum and it keeps the bag under suction through the initial cure fitting. At this point, take a piss, dump or whatever as you wont be going for a while. Secondly, wear long pants as the resin curing is quite hot on bare skin. Step 5 - mix the resin into the bag. WE ended up using all the resin as the mixture felt too dry. You put the bag on the floor and knead the resin around the beads so there are no clumps. Step 6 - Bag with beads and resin into the car. Then lower yourself GENTLY into the bag. Squish yourself, ass, legs, shoulders, hips, etc. to get comfortable for a good driving position. Move the beads around to where they need to be. Once you are comfortable then stop moving and sit still. Vacuum is on. Ian brought a beer and a donut for me to snack on. I had the phone. Otherwise I just gazed around the hangar. At this point you contemplate the messiness of our existence. Jeff's blue Caterham awaiting its yet again rebuilt engine (hint - dont use 10,000rpm on a Zetec). A certain blue Holden awaiting its engine to go back in. A Corvette with a blown clutch. The rental blue Datsun 200sx for hackers to destroy. After an hour I was allowed out. The seat had firmed up enough that my ass impression was not going to move. Getting out was entertaining. I could not use my traditional hand holds to lever myself up plus I could not move my legs much given the beads. And my non-removable steering wheel was where I needed to be. Having Ian piss himself laughing over my predicament was not helping me. Eventually... Yes folks, that impact crater, is my ass impression. Looks like aftermath of the movie, Deep Impact. Its amazing where your body leaves divots - a love handle on one side, a ballsac divot, my leather belt line, a wrinkle in my shirt, a hole where I had my SUV keys in my pocket, you get the idea. At this point we turned the vac off and left it to cure over the holidays. It only really needed 24 hours but we were heading out on holidays so not a problem. LAst weekend was removing it from the car. Using a hot knife you sledgehammer away about a third of what is there. It was at this point I discovered something critical: - if the bag is too big then it bunches up and creates chasms of plastic in between the beads - If you mold a bead seat under the lip of the center tunnel then it will not like coming out. The hot knife is key. It makes life so much easier carving and shaping the seat for the space. You need to car space channels for the belts on the sides and underneath for the submarine belts. Need to carve a hole for the submarine belt to surface through the seat to meet crotch. So I had to cut it out in 2 pieces but it worked out fine in the end as the pieces were easier to manage than one whole seat. Currently off at the upholsterers who will professionally cover it in nomex and make it look better than anything I could do. I can focus on another car project/basket case to solve. Now its time to sort out a head rest so that we dont have helmet against roll bar. More to follow. Edited January 18, 2020 by Croc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 When does he get his license? Maybe bring him up to NJMP and we let him loose in the Stalker in the green group? Got his license last month. Don’t want him in the Stalker (on track)....yet. I want him in something that’s going to teach him how to drive, not something that’s going to teach him how to farm.:jester: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 Yes folks, that impact crater, is my ass impression. Looks like aftermath of the movie, Deep Impact. Its amazing where your body leaves divots - a love handle on one side, a ballsac divot, my leather belt line, a wrinkle in my shirt, a hole where I had my SUV keys in my pocket, you get the idea. At this point we turned the vac off and left it to cure over the holidays. It only really needed 24 hours but we were heading out on holidays so not a problem. Mike, love the seat. Now, I wish I could think of something sarcastic and funny (some sort of a$$ joke, but you covered it).:jester: How about a finished product photo when able. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anker Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 Very flexible, since I just purchased the car. Already done: Carburetor and ignition timing tune. Already planned: Replace Weber carburetor mounting with new hardware. Misab plates, ordered from Burton Power. Replace distributor and electronic ignition with custom fron Aldon. Install oil catch can on crankcase breather. New racing rubber for my lighweight 13" rims. Most likely Toyo R888R. Home made rollbar bracket for transporting racing wheels to track. Oil change, lube job, brake fluid flush. Possible: Install more efficient radiator fan. Will most likely purchase a modern fan with a radiator mounted thermostat and mount it on home made brackets. Rebuild head. Valve guides and seals appear to be worn. May wait a year before tackling this. Unknown: The car is going up on jack stands and if easy the fenders will be removed for easy access. I'll then go through the suspension and brakes with a fine tooth comb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 I want something that’s going to teach him how to drive, not something that’s going to teach him how to farm. Easy! That would be his mother. Have you asked Robin yet? :seeya: Bring him up in October, I have just the car for him in the green group. Low powered, rear wheel drive, full cage, good brakes. Its a Nissan so none of the hairdresser smirks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 Easy! That would be his mother. Have you asked Robin yet? :seeya: Bring him up in October, I have just the car for him in the green group. Low powered, rear wheel drive, full cage, good brakes. Its a Nissan so none of the hairdresser smirks. You're being nice today. Trust me, if I (we) can make NJMP happen this year, we’ll be there. Right now, too many irons in the fire...and a transition in progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 You're being nice today. I have seen your farming - he deserves to learn how to drive properly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now