alanrichey

No, by the time we saw it it was fully booked.

This event is taking place on 25th-26th June 2016. This year we only found out about it at the last minute and by then it was fully booked. This year I have been given advance notice and sent a booking form (copy attached). As far as I can see there is no charge so you have nothing to lose by registering, Although it is numbers limited so please register only if you intend to try and attend so you don't block anyone else. We can discuss the logistics nearer the date. Cheers Al Steam on Rutland Water.pdf

And I think I am right behind you. Fame at last

No. If it done properly you only pull 1G, it's a very gentle manoeuver. And remember the Vulcan famously did a barrel roll at the Farnborough Air Show in 1995. Even Concorde did one during testing.

Yes, count me in. And just me

And immediately 'flipped'' http://www.ebay.co.u...3QAAOSwEgVWTury

Fascinating stuff. I have found everything I need to build the cable so I might give it a whirl

No point. As the saying goes, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. And thanks to Jez I have a spare ECU waiting in the wings. This was more of an intellectual exercise as I try to learn more about how the Superspec works.

More research and I found this: http://alum.wpi.edu/~colinb/14cux_interface.html which basically tells me I need to do major surgery to a cable and even then a modern PC probably wouldn't read it. and this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucas_14CUX appears to say that the diagnosis port is only for getting fault codes. But it is interesting that the ECU could contain 5 different fuel maps, although switching between them is not a trivial option. Although it appears that all the ECU does is control the fuel mixture for starting and at slow speed, once you actually get going it switches itself out of the loop. I think i will give up on this idea and leave it alone.

It could be. Further research has shown this system is nothing like as comprehensive as the OBD2 standard (probably not surprising as it is pre-1995), it is simply 2 wires (and an earth). They are labelled Diagnostics IN and Diagnostics OUT and use Pins 10 & 15 on the ECU. Your reference has 5 wires and refers to Pins 30 & 38, and these are not used in our ECU. Although it could be that 2 of the wires are for the TestBook Socket using Pins 30 & 38, which we don't have, and 2 of the wires are for the Reader (Diagnosis) port using 10 & 15, and the 5th wire is a common earth. I assume it is some sort of Serial Port so you need a cable with 3 wires leading to a USB plug. Although I suspect you can only access it using specialist equipment and not a laptop. In which case I am screwed Fascinating stuff.

Having looked at 3 other Superspecs recently I have at last managed to find the data port on my Rover ECU (It was on a flying lead tucked out of sight). Has any other Superspec owner ever managed to use this data port to look at the ECU settings ? Any idea what lead and software is required ? Can we adjust the mapping ? Al

I managed to get away with spending only £12.36

Same here, life changing

Agreed. My fuel gauge has always read backwards as it is not matched to the sender. So if there is a wiring fault I assume the gauge could either read Empty or Full.

Let me add my congrats as well. Hope Kirsty is more interested in Hoods than my wife

Absolutely. A great drive through the country lanes of Lincolnshire, Leicester, Nottinghamshire and Rutland, Not a huge turnout of cars at the farm but some nice ones: Here is a short video of our run from New Lodge Farm And the Vulcan flyover

If anyone else fancies joining us, the plan is to got to the Hog Roast first at about 11:30, to look round the cars and grab some lunch, then leaving at about 12:45 to drive up to the East end of Rutland Water to see the Vulcan (assuming she gets airborne at the same time as yesterday). Al

That is how the Superspec is designed (Ford Fiesta tank as I recall). As I understand it the wide breather from the tank to the top of the filler neck is to allow the tank to be filled without blowback, And then we have a very small breather on top to stop negative pressure while fuel is being used. No attempt at any non-return valves, just a rather pretty design

Just a reminder that New Lodge Farm in Northamptonshire (NN17 3DU), who host the lunch stop for the Stilton Cheese Classic Car Run that some of us go on, are running a Hog Roast this weekend and all classic/kit cars are welcome. It is being hosted by the Kettering Veteran and Vintage Car Club and the Stilton Cheese organisers, but basically anyone can just pitch up in any car they like. See http://www.newlodgefarm.com/Upcoming%20Events/for details. And by coincidence, the Vulcan will be flying past (about 3-4 miles away up the A43) sometime in the afternoon (timings TBA on Friday). See Phil's post at http://www.rhocar.org/index.php?showtopic=43047&do=findComment&comment=345631 And the weather is looking good as well. So I shall definitely be going, taking a scenic drive through Rutland to avoid the A1/A43 and timing it to catch the Vulcan. If anyone else fancies joining up somewhere near Rutland Water let me know. Al

We had this discussion a few months back and many of us are of the opinion that we would be better off with a 'Q' plate than an age-related plate. Is he aware that having an age-related plate means he will have to meet the emissions standards for that year ? (A 'Q' plate is visible smoke only). As far as we can see the only benefit of an age-related plate is to make a resale a bit easier as some people (incorrectly IMHO) don't trust 'Q' plates.

Yes, funnily enough I found the original brochure last night. It was called Superspec 05 and it says it was designed to take a Rover or a Pinto or a Zetec, although if you wanted to buy the rolling chassis version it came with the Rover. Interestingly it says that just 10 Superspecs were produced with the 'titanium' finish. I have seen 3 of them, be interesting to know what happened to the other 7

Interesting, didn't know that. I thought all the Superspec owners with non-Rover engines I had talked to had changed the engines because they didn't like the Rover. Doesn't change anything though, I still think that a 'used' engine means there is no chance of an age-related plate.

Have I misunderstood here ? As I understand it ONLY the engine is from the donor car and it will already be in the donor log book. Therefore this car has an old engine, a reconditioned rear axle and everything else is brand new. That is almost the definition of a 'Q' plate. The workaround would have been to do the IVA with the original new Rover engine, get the age related plate for a new car, then change the engine for the Zetec and get the V5 amended.

If it's a Superspec and he has just replaced the engine I think he will have a major problem getting an age-related plate, as all the other major parts will be brand new (except the reconditioned rear axle) and only the engine will be from the donor car. If he had used the original engine he would have got a 2015 plate, but with a different engine my money is on a 'Q' plate.

Great day out at the Corby Glen Fair. I recovered my ability to lay on the good weather, which was just about perfect, and there was a very nice turn out of classic cars (although only 2 Hoods) along with all the usual things you expect from a rural village show (funfair, dog show, line dancing, crafts, food, beer....). Many thanks to Nigel, Helen & Pete (swan) for their support. Al