phaeton

https://the-mite.com/mite18.htm Found this if you do fancy shortening the box, you can lose 4" with this method (should you need it)

Just to add if you are in the North Notts/South Yorks area & want to pick a gearbox up to play with to see if you can shorten one I have one here you can have for a donation to the RNLI the next time you see a collection box.

Personally I think the MX5 engine is a far better engine than the Ford boat anchor, as to fitting it in the S7 can't help really help you. Again only my thoughts would be to buy a whole car rather then just a 'kit' that way you have everything you need, just in case it didn't come with the 'kit' you buy. As for wiring I'd rip the whole lot out & replace with the MX5 wiring harness, if you buy a later 2.5 version then you won't need to run a fuel return as it's built into the fuel pump, assuming you can run that pump, if you can't then you'll have to run a return from the front, or there is a Vauxhall (I think) fuel filter with a pressure regulator built in. 

Big things you will have to consider & I'm sure you have, is engine mounting, but that should be fairly straight forward possibly modifying the MX5 ones, but the fore/aft positioning might be more interesting to get the gearstick in the right place. if it's too far back as it's a long gearbox there is a way to shorten them but no idea how. I spoke to a guy with one in a Moggy Thou van & he'd taken 5" off it's length. You'll obviously need a rear gearbox mount but again can't see that being too difficult, then of course a custom propshaft, MX5 gearbox out to Ford whatever in, then there is the diff ratio to consider, unless it's the Sierra rear & you can swap that for the MX5, but then you're looking at custom driveshafts.

2 hours ago, LeicJim3a said:

I ordered the gauge matcher Phaeton recommended above wired in followed instructions (to the best of my ability) now just reads full all the time, I’m presuming there is more to setting this up than I first thought https://spiyda.com/fuel-gauge-wizard-mk3.html

Have you seen this page? https://spiyda.com/Link/WIZARD.html It's probably 8 years ago since I did mine, no longer have the car & I think the design has changed, but contact Chris (sure that's his name) will be very helpful.

It's surprising how little resistance it needs to stop it turning, once had a column where 2 pieces of plastic had closed together, just them rubbing on each other stopped mine returning

Are you sure there is nothing binding, either in the column, in the rack or within the hubs?

8 hours ago, Bob Tucker said:

in some cases in the past the DVLA has asked for an engineers report to confirm the new details. Not always, as usual the DVLA are inconsistent.

Never heard of them asking for an engineers report, but when I have done it in the past I have had to get a garage to confirm that the engine is physically fitted in the vehiclle & confirm the capacity being claimed.

Is it already registered in Poland, it has Polish plates, can you not bring it in via Nova?

10 hours ago, richyb66 said:

In a word, no.

If you present it early for the first MOT and it passes, the second MOT will be due 12 months from that date. It's only at the second MOT that you can present it early and still maintain the actual due date

 

Thank You.

TBH That was what I was expecting, I suspected there is no link between the DSA V5C system & the VOSA MOT system, so when presented for it's first MOT it then starts the clock ticking. Bit like if you present it for a MOT on the VIN number prior to IVA it doesn't then get the 36 months to first MOT, it has to be done after 12 months.

2 hours ago, Foz said:

I took my tin top in for it's first MOT a couple of days before the end of August and the expiry date shows as 31st August so I would think you should be OK taking it early.

What was the first date of registration on the V5C?

2 hours ago, Darrell said:

I always put mine in before the date just in case it needs some fettling and have no problems with the dates, MOT is always dated from the expiry date.

Yes I know that, but this is the first MOT, it is currently not on the MOT database https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/ hence the question.

Kit is coming up to it's first MOT in June, anyone know if you can present 30 days early & maintain the anniversary date like you can with a normal MOT?

https://spiyda.com/fuel-gauge-wizard-mk3.html

Might be a solution for you, it's a little while since I had anything to do with Chris's products but they were always first class along with brilliant support. 

Once put a 1.6 engine in a 1.3 Escort can't remember the reason why but we put the 1.3 sump on the 1.6 engine, presumably for crossmember clearance but this was back in the 70's & remembering why I've come upstairs is hard enough let alone something from 40 odd years ago. But the first time we started it up it made a right racket all the big ends were hitting. Nothing at a 18 year old & a hammer couldn't fix though.

Just a question, why would you take the heater out? It provides extra coolant capacity along with always being useful to have warmth around your legs

I think for any boat anchor that's a good result, in fact any reading above about 10 at idle is good, back in the day as long as the wasn't on & there was plenty of oil in it that was all that mattered.

I'm with @Bob Tucker a big end is more of a a proper know, that almost sounds like an exhaust leak

Unfortunately you are at other end of the country, but it may help if you advised at what state it currently is, ideally photographs, I have in the past finished cars & put them through for other people, but no longer have a workshop to use & I have to do everything on my drive, which is okay for my own stuff but not somebody elses.

https://shop.mevkitcars.co.uk/collections/exocet-kits-and-parts/products/grp-seats 

This is the price new, these have never been used just stored, like to to get 1/2 price back from them £200

I have a pair of fibreglass seats available, I can get you measurements tomorrow but they are quite narrow, but up in North Notts, I don't seem to be able to add an image

Alan.

I think the rule was, mechanical are more accurate but messy, electrical are easier but not as accurate, that may have now changed 

15 hours ago, philshelton said:

Some how ended up with a td04 stuck to it.

 I have a supercharger here to go on, was supposed to have been this winters project, but without a garage I'm getting to that age where I don't want to be working outside in the cold.

Yep it's coming to the right time of year, everybody is coming out of hibernation, the 2 litre boat anchor must be worth something to somebody I would have thought.

211BHP, that's not standard?

Only one that we had an issue with was in a Saxo trackcar, if you hit the kerbs too hard, which was good really as if you hit them too hard it would also take out the driveshaft 

Just position it somewhere within reach, under the dashboard for instance, although I've never had any others trip

Glad you are getting somewhere but I would strongly suggest you fit something like https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/295996042349 in the event of an accident you don't want to pump to continue pumping petrol. But put it somewhere you can get to as they do occasionally need resetting