Well we are now only 6 days or so away from the first outing at Snetterton and the liberal “flump” of snow delivered to Eastern England has really screwed my timetable up. At some times this week I couldn’t even get out of the house to collect some new more high build primer, let alone do anything else.
It’s been far to cold to do anything remotely painty for most of this week, so my side pods still looked like they had been attacked by an slash murderer. One night in the week I did get the right hand side pod, flatted back, repaired, and re primed. It was only when I had finished the final rinse before the colour coat was applied did I notice the small bit of glinty silver sticker right in the middle of the side. AAArgh!…. damn, damn damn! Is this painting fated never to be finished! so I had to start again…. wereupon it cracked…. Its enough to make you weep!
Anyway today the bleary wintery sunshine raised the temperatures just enough to get that side pod painted, and you can see it in the index photo above. Considering it’s a very cracked and broken surface it doesn’t look too bad, and this time I managed to spray the clear coat without any runs which at least is one plus. I also got most of the other side pod primed but this had again cracked in a couple of places. This time only one or two places cracked so I should be be to repair it tomorrow, sunshine willing, but I’m really up tight up against a deadline now!
Ironically, I’ve just completed an article for the 750 Motor Club magazine that speaks to the importance of preparation. I’m in danger of going to the circuit next weekend in the least prepared state I have been. hmmph.
Duncan manfully cracked on with the front bodywork, while working outside on my snow covered drive. Such dedication to the cause!
This is now finished, the front floor is linked to the bodywork using these natty little 1/4 turn fasteners which are positioned around the nose. All I need to do now is fit the shiftlights (double sided tape) and bolt on the strike plates for the over centre latches.
While he was working at the front of the car, and in between fitful bouts of swearing at the bodywork I got a few things done at the back of the car.
These included.
- Running the engine, and checking it all out
- Fixing a slightly weepy top hose
- Bleeding the brakes and clutch
- Transferring the wing mirrors from the old front bodywork to the new. These will be painted to match\contrast with the body, but probably not before the test day.
So bar a general tidy up & clean and one or two little jobs like re pack the exhaust the car is now mechanically sound and ready for the test day. It’s just the damn body work and its associated jobs that are yet to be resolved.
The MUST jobs for the test day are now listed below. I’ll try and get most if not all of these done tomorrow. I really don’t want to be carrying any of these into next week as I’ve a few full days at work which will mean lack of garage time in the evening.
- Exhaust:
- Recheck and repack
- Engine:
- Change Cam sensor
- Engine bay General:
- lube chain @must
- Screw up rear part of Rear floor
- Chassis:
- Corner weight it – get scales
- Reset RR Spring setting
- Check wheel and hub nuts
- Check tyre pressures
- order dsuz fastener fitting rings
- give it a general clean and tidy
- Electrics and ancillaries:
- remount shift lights on new bodywork
- Move Palm
- check video recorder operation
- make new front loom
- Bodywork:
- rub down side pods.
- Order new Dzus fasterners and retaining circlips for front floor
- Paint sidepods and refit
- grind off screw projections on front floor
- Fit rear frame
- Fit New rear clips
No matter what the car must be finished by Wednesday at the latest, as I’ll need to collect the trailer and Winnebago on Thursday and Friday nights, and travel to Snett on Friday.
There’s just so much left to do, I really need for Sunday to be warm dry and very,very productive.
The other thing that arrived this week are some natty little headlights which I got from ebay.
These are from Streetfighter spares, and are actually joined together in a double housing, but they should be easily separated for fitting to the car. Now that will definitely not happen before the Snetterton Test