peter_m7uk

Hi Eric, I spoke to Adrian Flux and they said they wouldn't do it. How exactly did you hassle them to get them to agree?! Ta, Peter

Hi Paul. I wouldn't go to Ford directly! I got mine from my local motor factors for £20 each, although I get trade discount, so probably closer to £30 for the general public. Still less than half the price of Ford, though! I think mine are made by Quinton Hazell, who do good quality copies of consumable parts. Cheers, Pete

A while ago, I got a set of moulded plastic bits for finishing the rear of the LW. They're the ones that RH sold in their so-called upgrade pack. Has anyone fitted these to their car and do they have any pics?? In particular, I'm interested in the two corner bits that fit around the roll-over bar. I've been trying to work out a way to fit them so that they look reasonably professional! Over or under the roll-over bar? Rivets, bolts, screws, or glue? Edging trim etc? Anyone got good ideas? Cheers, Pete

Hi Eric, Thanks for the reply! So did Adrian Flux tie you into insuring the completed car with them? Ta, Pete

Some *#$% recently tried to break into the lock-up garage where I keep my half-built Lightweight. So, after fitting a heftier padlock, I called Endsleigh, who insure the contents in my flat. However, they told me that they "just don't do garages, residential property only". They passed me onto some other company, but they don't do that either. I tried searching the net and seems to be harder to find than I expected Anyone on here managed to insure their garage, bearing in mind that mine is 5 miles from my flat and completely unrelated? I've heard of kit car insurers doing build-up insurance, but it perhaps only lasts 6 months and then you have to take their usual car insurance for on-the-road, at an inflated price? Any advice welcome.... Pete

Hi Neil, Thanks for the reply. I looked at ETB and they are good value, but their electronic speedo is £152.75!! Did you get a mechanical one? If so, how much hassle was it to fit and how accurate? Ta, Pete

On the look-out for gauges now and, having done a market survey, these seem to be the best value I can find, Racetech gauges, from Rally Design. I've also spotted TIM gauges, but why don't they do a speedo?!!! I want electronic, rather than mechanical gauges. Any other suggestions? Cheers, Pete

Thanks for the replies, guys Ok, so it's the bush inner moving against the inner tube. I haven't mounted the suspension yet, but I'll bear that in mind when I do, shortly. Not sure what you mean with your mod, Scott. Any chance of a pic?! Ta, Pete

You sure, Mitch? I'm not, admittedly! Perhaps I remember seeing a mild steel LW chassis and that Locost was of similar construction. Pete

Looking at my bushes, it occurred to me that I don't know which bit is actually moving... You have the wishbone eye tubes which wrap around the bush outers, then the bush inners wrap around the steel inner tubes, which themselves wrap around the locating bolt. So, when your suspension moves, which surfaces move against each other? I assume it's not the bush outers against the wishbone eye tubes, as they are so tightly held. The bush inners also wrap quite tightly around the inner tubes, but I suppose it could be possible for this to move? I also thought that if the inner tubes move against the locating bolt, then the thread would be worn away and the wishbones would become loose. So how is it supposed to work and should I be using the threaded bolts that RH supplied to locate the wishbones? Cheers, Pete

Scott, I saw that exact car at the RH factory when I went to visit. It is a Lightweight, but with a mild steel chassis instead of aluminium.... Pete

Good point Elwe, you're absolutely right. Although, I think the angle would have to be pretty steep on such a low slung car before this had a big effect. Also, it would work the other way around if the front was higher while the front was weighed and the back was higher while the back was weighed, making the results lower. Can anyone say if their axle weights were taken with the car at an angle?? And was the car hitched up onto the scales or pointing down to the scales??? Pete

Getting confused now, although I do know for definite that adding together the weight over the two axles measured separately equals the total weight of the car - You can prove this with a bit of A-level Physics (moments and forces). So, are the axle weights people are talking about a] measured on scales at SVA or b] some sort of estimate of maximum capacity? The only way that a weighbridge can give a different weight for the total car is if either the weighbridge or the SVA scales are out of calibration! Pete

Graham, did you know one of the SVA'd LWs, belonging to Diyer, is not bonded? It's built as per the DVDs!! He was lucky, as he passed before Trevor's fail brought the LW to everyone's attention. If there are three SVA'd and on the road, one is Diyer's, one is Robin Hood's, which is the 3rd??? Pete

I'm a bit late, but Good Luck, Graham! I suppose he's in there right now. Anyone know which test centre? Pete

We can go Lightweight crazy! Although, I did suggest this 18 months ago with no takers! Link Anyone been SVA'd recently?! Pete

Thanks for the replies, chaps Looks like it will probably be ok... Just for clarification, Rich, are the red and yellow tubes actually the fuel lines, or are they for protecting something else?? Pete

I wanted to route my fuel and brake lines through the same small gap. They are both copper and I'd imagine it would be a failure to have them touching. However, if I pull a sleeve of fuel tubing over each one as protection, then have the fuel tubing touching, anyone got any experience of an examiner having a problem with that?? Pete

I would use Por-15 on the chassis. It neutralises the rust and grips like crazy. Pete

Hi Keith, Certainly did. Have a look at the pics and description of my diff here. http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2624873070075316765vqMpnI http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2801820030075316765oGqpev Pete

Thanks Chaps! Next question:- Anyone know what the minimum radius of curvature is for 3/16" copper brake pipes and 8mm copper fuel pipes?? Even if it's not on the SVA, would be interested to know if there is some recommended amount for engineering generally...? Cheers

Hi all, I believe I've read a couple of times that fuel and brake lines can't go unsupported over a length greater than 30cm, or else you'll fail SVA. Is this stated somewhere in the SVA manual, because I've searched and I can't find it?? Or is it more of a guideline given to builders by SVA inspectors in the past? I'll probably support at closer intervals than that, to be honest, but just wanted to be clear before I start drilling holes to fit the P-clips! Ta, Peter

Thanks mucho

Hello Chaps, Thanks for the info and pics - very helpful Any chance you could run a tape measure over your small tank and tell me the length x width x height ?? The reason I'm asking all of this is that I ordered a larger custom tank from GBS and when it arrived it was too big! I assumed they'd just take the small one that you have and lengthen it a bit, but it only just fits in the rear compartment, leaving no room for sender and filler etc! Pete

Hi, just wondering if anyone has fitted a RH/GBS fuel tank to the Lightweight, one of those 20litre tanks they sell for £80? I tried to get Technical Richard to explain fitment to me, but a picture tells a thousand words if somebody has one?? If not, a diagram or a better explanation would be great. Ta. Pete