nelmo

So, I'm guessing a relay that rattles like a castanet is kaput, yeah? And coincidentally, it's a Cargo relay (surely the most ironic product name ever), same as my alternator that died a few weeks ago. Guess which manufacturer I'll be avoiding for, like, forever?!

Yes, fair point - I'd forgotten that you'd been told the 'baffled' tank would work...did you pay much more for the 'baffled' tank? Maybe you can complain to GBS and they might give you some cash off the swirl pot bits? They did something similar for me when my alternator died recently...

Well, yes but that is because it IS what you have to do - as you are finding out, not doing that doesn't work Modern cars have a built-in swirl pot in the tank, don't they? They don't just rely on baffles, so why should we? And putting the swirl pot outside the tank seems much more sensible to me - it doesn't waste space in an already small tank and it makes for easier maintenance should anything go wrong with it. What alternative is there that GBS could have designed to make it cheaper/simpler for us? I always feel sorry for companies who have to bite their tongue when they hear a customer (ie. an amateur) tell them how to do their job better... Also, out of interest, how does foam in the tank work? Might stop fuel sloshing about but how does it ensure a constant supply to the outlet? Reading online, it seems to be designed to prevent surging and limit the amount of fuel that escapes in the event of an accident.

Ahh, hadn't actually checked that - I was working on the belief that this would cause the indicators to flash even faster, which is what happens on a normal car but I'll check - thanks...

There only seems to be one type of fuel tank on the Kit Spares website, and it has this description: 'Complete with six hole boss baffled and swagged inlet' ...which is not clear if it means the whole tank or not. The option of a baffled tank was never mentioned when I bought my bits in 2015....you could retrofit the swirl pot and pumps? If you do, get the swirl pot of eBay - I paid £30 for mine rather than the £90 GBS charge... BTW, you said this happens when going round a roundabout? The fuel pickups are on the left-hand side of the tank (looking from the rear of the car) so going round a roundabout should push all the fuel up against that side of the tank and you shouldn't have a problem, no? Left turns would be a problem as all the fuel will slosh over to the right side of the tank, away from the pickups (or have I got my physics wrong?).

Hmmm, could it be a problem if it is on too long? I don't have column stalks, my indicator is a manual switch on my dash (no auto-cancelling). On my way to work this morning, after one turn, I forgot to switch the indicator off for about 2 miles (yeah, I know, one of those people ) and it was after that I noticed it wasn't flashing (I can't be sure if it was before - I think it was). I'll try give it a whack later, although it's not easy to get to...

I was wondering about that but aren't all modern relays solid-state? Mine are only a couple of years old...

I'm no expert on relays but my indicator flasher relay seems to have died this morning - my indicator dash light comes on but does not flash and the relay is making a buzzing noise. Sounds terminal to me but are relays affected by cold? It was just about freezing this morning - is it possibly going to start working when the temperature rises?

Wasn't it you a while back who replied to me to question why I'd want a roof and doors? :-)

I got through IVA (latest emission standards) without any lambda sensor...few simple tweaks to the map and done...

Not got my mag yet - all excited now! Actually, just a strap might do the trick, as you suggest. I commuted in this morning with my prototype door on and the front edge did start lifting over 50mph, so I do need something.

The whole process would be a damn sight simpler if they just exempted kit cars from emissions testing altogether. Bikes are exempt and how many millions of them are on the road (including mine)? Is getting rid of a few thousand kit cars really going to save any polar bears?

Yeah, I thought but about that but unfortunately I've got an inside panel already, so no access to the inside of the outer panel.

I can't picture that - have you got a... er... picture?

Thanks all... I must admit, I've only trial-fitted some thin vinyl on the frame and up to 50mph, they didn't seem to lift up at the bottom, so maybe I don't need anything. The problem is that my frame is made of flexible plastic rather than anything more rigid, so it's not shaped. Maybe I should change to metal? Richard, don't the lift-the-dot and tenax fittings require you to pull them off from the outside? Can you just push the door and they'll unclip?

I'm making some doors and I had a great plan to use magnets to help keep the bottom edge of the door in place against the side panel - until I realised that magnets don't work on aluminium! Has anyone seen/used an alternative method for doing this?

Is this proposal just for IVA or for MOTs as well?

Are you aware that Robin Hood was sold/renamed to GBS years ago? They still do lots of bits for the 2B and also sell trim etc... This is their parts website: http://www.kitspares.co.uk/ ...and they do a GRP boot cover for the 2B. I don't actually know what a 2B looks like at the boot end but the vinyl boot cover they do for the Zero (which I have) is excellent, if pricey. Might fit the 2B?

Link to pic of my plate: https://photos.app.goo.gl/apvbLzN0ncW6KeYV2

The danger with putting weights on is that they will measure it during your IVA and if the numbers on your plate are too low (or is it too high?), that's a potential failure. The plate just needs the car manufacturer and the VIN number on it and it doesn't need to be professionally done - I just used a basic stamp kit on a piece of ally. Personally, I'd return the plate to GBS (they're normally happy to refund) and just make your own basic one.

None of that stuff moved on it's own, though, did it? Just time-lapse photography, no? Still cool...

Hold on one cotton-picking minute!! You're telling me that it took you 10 days from sending your paperwork to getting a V5!? :-o It took me 5 (five) weeks to get mine! 5 weeks! 5 weeks of watching for the postman, stroking my car as it sat in the garage, looking longingly at the open road.... But I'm not bitter... congratu-fecking-lations...

I think you've just found a couple of bad examples - do an image search on Google and you get hundreds of Caterhams with perfect wheels/arches. I think colour schemes are one of Caterhams strengths - they have a great range of colours and stripes - love this one: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=caterham&client=tablet-android-samsung&prmd=minv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiR-MWr9_jYAhWML8AKHZH2CO0Q_AUIEigC&biw=1280&bih=800#imgrc=mkVhU9NGdFRdBM:

Yeah, I was thinking that as well... a bit dull but at least it's a little different..

No offence taken, I agree. I've tried plain colours but they just don't work unless I do all the other GRP which I don't want to do. I just really fancy something a bit different that doesn't break the bank and this is a good excuse...