Dean Roberts

pictures for info:

Cheers Tractor....I just had to re insert the butt plug again and mask the funny smell wafting passed my nose with air freshener. Fingers crossed it's a sierra, perhaps photographic evidence is needed. .....For the h/brake and rear axle. ....not the butt plug.

Nicko, I would like to get a cable in time for me to fit it this weekend, but if all else fails and I cannot source one locally tomorrow then I will be the first to shout your way for it. Meantime, I will measure mine (as a comparison) as I does't look like it has been tampered with, But it is definitely too small. Confused.....how did you get the u clamps to fit? R they mini u clamps: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=u+clamps&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xwire+rope+u+clamps&_nkw=wire+rope+u+clamps&_sacat=0 and fitted at the back of the shoes without any issues?

Thanks I & C, I was beginning to panic and thought the 2b was rebelling against me. Everything seems to be a huge domino effect and I haven't had chance to put down the last domino yet If the donor was a sierra, then I assume, I just go out and get another standard sierra cable and drums as required and fingers crossed fit them.

After repositioning the handbrake on top of the centre console behind the gear stick (not an easy task when all the brakes, fuel lines & loom run underneath) I then went about moving the h/brake cable above the rear axle and found that it seems a little short? Take into consideration I have no welding gear and have searched on the forums and noticed a lot of comments about buying a new cable and then shortening it. Seems a shame that the old cable don't fit and is delaying any other work I can do. Please can anybody give me any advise on what cable, size and do I really need to shorten it with welding gear? I'm assuming the donor car was a Ford Sierra, so the handbrake cable & shoes I require, would be for the same vehicle? Any advice for a newbie (without any instructions) would be really, really appreciated before I rush out and get the wrong cables etc... If I need them ? Arrrrggghhhh.....

After repositioning the handbrake on top of the centre console behind the gear stick I then went about moving the cable above the rear axle and found that it seems a little short...? Take into consideration I have no welding gear and have searched on the forums and noticed a lot of comments about buying a new cable and then shortening it. Seems a shame that the cable don't fit and is delaying any other work I can do. Please can anybody give me any advise on what cable, size and do I really need to shorten it with welding gear? I already have a good (but short cable) and really, really need some advice before I throw my hands up in the air again, with another delay. TIA Dino

I quote a famous film: John McClane: [huddled in an air vent, recalls his wife's invitation] "Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs..." I now quote myself: Dino: [Huddled upside down in a RH 2b cockpit, recalls his wife's invitation] "buy the kit-car, we'll go out together, have a few laughs..."

Snapper, I just noticed the piccy of the indicator stalks etc... I would love to replace the horrible bog standard black plastic sierra ones with chrome or alloy ones. Were they these: http://kitspares.co.uk/shop/item.php?product=9031 Or if not, where did you get them from and was it easy to change them? 665-neigbour of the Beast....

Damn, not thinking outside the box again

Thanks guys, didn't even consider cutting the wiring and rejoining them on a multi-plug. I must have been wearing blinkers at the time and not looking at the bigger picture......DOH! Now, where did I leave the garden shears and insulating tape.

Thanks, I thought the aluminium would be too soft, but not being much of a mechanic wanted confirmation. A short blue steel angle should be plenty when bolted into place. Blimey, what happened.....I was originally just changing the fuel lines and now the car sits in the garage completely gutted. Next the wife will be saying hurry up we only have a few weeks to get it on the road....! I better get my finger out and get it complete before the kit car show

Long story short....I need to relocate the wiring loom in my 2b. At the moment it comes out of the engine bay and along the top of the centre console around the gear stick and into the boot. I have plans to move the handbrake onto the centre console but the wires are in the way. I'm hoping to disconnect everything at the rear of the car (lights, fuel sender etc...), then pull back all the wiring to the console and somehow thread it underneath the centre console tunnel and attach it to the brake lines with cable ties. I will then pull out the wiring underneath the boot and reconnect it back to all the lights etc. at the back of the car. Stop me now, if doesn't sound viable. If it is OK, then I would like some advise on the fog & reversing lights and how to disconnect and reconnect the wiring without the need of removing the back stainless steel panel or fuel tank. The rear brake/indicator lights are easy access as they are positioned on the rear wheel arches. FYI: The boot & tunnel walls have been removed in preparation for the handbrake relocation.

Cheers Snapper, I will take a gander at the V5. Meantime, Any advise will be useful about the following: I trying to move the handbrake onto the centre console and I will require a piece of either angled metal bolted to the tubular frame under the boot, but above the rear axle. I have the option of the aluminium factory local to me and was wondering if I can get away with using angled aluminium (40mm x 40mm x 3mm) instead of steel. Is there anything wrong with using a strong lighter material, or should I be looking at steel? I hoping to attach something like this, but with drilling the holes for the handbrake cable myself:

A very slow moving weekend involving lots of swearing and a few bruised & busted fingers from using a rivnut gun. But finally managed to get the new side wall back on......Hooray On another note we managed to get a set of slim, sports seats and fitting brackets to fit, which we commenced with trying to fit this weekend while the interior was gutted for the fuel line fitting. Oh boy was this a mistake and it will end up delaying me further. After attempting to fit the seats, we found the seating brackets and sliding rails lift them a good 3 inches too high. I decided to cut, bend and drill my own brackets and fit them onto the sliding rails and then bolt them through the angle iron under the car. This went very well except for the time consumed making the brackets and then found that the passenger mounted handbrake is in the way and the seat won't fit correctly. I have decided to remove the handbrake to free up the space in the passenger area and mount it on the centre console like most cars. So now I have got to find out any details on re-locating the handbrake. :-( Fingers crossed it's not as daunting a task as I imagine it to be.

My 2B only has one jet with 2 sprays

Looks like you were bang on with the sucking air theory, since changing the battery and fuel lines......its started firing up very quickly and purring lovely.

No worries with the fuel pipes, they are secured and running underneath the car within the tunnel space. Fuel pipes on the top left side of the tunnel, brake-pipes on the top right of the tunnel. Whereas the wiring to the back of the car runs over the tunnel space and along the centre console section. The new battery is still situated in the front engine bay on a dedicated tray, away from everything else and is more secure than the original. I will, at a later date (XMAS) look towards changing the crocodile smile for a fixed nose-cone/scuttle and a removable bonnet. But time, money and the fact were itching to get it on the road and have a little summertime fun restricts us. Next on the agenda is re-fixing a new sidewall tunnel, upholstery, flooring, side panels and securing the seating correctly so that I can drive around to the MOT centre. I cannot wait to get home from work tonight, have dinner (with pancakes), get kids in bed and then venture into the garage to tinker with the car. Brings back memories of the days when I used to mess around with my first car and no computers involved.......yippeeee.... (PS - I work with computers 24x7, so this is a blessing.)

Longboarder, thanks for the clarification. Fingers crossed and hoping the MOT inspector is in a good mood when this car goes in. Oh well, I still have just under 2 months to get this baby on the road and ready for the Kit Car show 2014

Hmmmmm....debatable (considering the small print in the left hand corner marked in red!) This stipulates "kit cars and amateur vehicles for emissions purposes only, are to be considered as used before 1 Aug 1975." Which would be visual inspection only! Nothing about Q plates etc.... Or am I reading into it incorrectly, due to my car being registered as a G-Reg Robin Hood?

Wooohoooo....Visual only.....Thanks I & C

G-reg plate with 2.0ltr pinto , no visible smoke (so hopefully a clean get away at the MOT centre). Don't think there is anything I might need to be aware of at the MOT centre apart from the usual stuff (tyres, lights, bearings, cv boots, washers, wipers, seatbelts, brake or fuel leaks...etc.)

Yaaay....Busy weekend.....Wined and dined the wife! Finally replaced the fuel sender and fuel lines... Replaced and re-wired the battery and added a new cover to hold it in place. Fixed the windscreen washers. Fired her up and she purrs like a lion.....Grrrrrr..! Next on the agenda is to provide the car with some interior comforts (carpets etc...) and secure a new tunnel wall and properly secure the seatbelts and seating. But wife and I are extremely happy she fired up first time and once the interior is done.....It will be MOT time :-) Anybody now where we stand when it comes to emissions on the old engines?

Bugger, this is a bigger jobs than anticipated, fuel sender is rotten and the side wall tunnel has been chopped into 3 separate sections with millions of both stainless and aluminium rivets. Time to buy lots of drill bits and replace them with new stainless steel panels and rivnuts. Hopefully to celebrate our wedding anniversary this weekend, I will replace the fuel sender and fuel pipe and fire it up to see if it runs OK. Or a more sensible option would be to give the other half a break from the kids and wine and dine her

No problem, our car will be on axle stands all next week and valve fitting is last on the agenda. I got lots of other maintenance to get on with in preparation for the MOT, so will look forward to the feedback in the future. Courtesy of the good weather on Sunday, we managed to fit in our first wash & wax. Now she/he looks a lot more respectable:

U have no nuts, U can see a doctor 'bout that :-)