trextr7monkey

I might get over if car can get MOTd and insured tomorrow, just picked up a second TR7 - triton green convertible, so easy to spot, only about 15 miles from us, too. atb Mike

Hi Dan, Sounds like a plan is hatching- if it doesn't work out there is a bloke not too far from you who runs a break down truck /recovery transport business,(Mad Mark - nothis real name obviously!) he has a Jago Sami which he drags to shows on his truck with a caravan on the back, it is a fact that the car has done more miles on truck than the roads :D he may be able to fit you on something. atb Mike

Hi Luke, while you are busy cleaning up all the connections it is worth popping on some Contralube from Maplins - it is alleged to improve conductivity and protects joints from corrosion/oxidation etc It isn't the usual snake oil stuff as is approved by NATO ( cue loads of jokes......) We have used it extensively on the jeep with its 29 year old wiring and have started using it on the TR7 and not had any re occurring problems. atb Mike

The application form has a box asking for reason for issuing card - one of them is "at the managers discretion" which seems to be how people who aren't earning a living from the spanners get them. We have one, and as said it gives a worthwhile discount off Halfrauds prices- good for tin top batteries etc and is very handy on Sunday afternoons when everywhere else is shut and your car is in 67 pieces, it is worth asking again and again and especially when the young dolly bird is manning the shop, they seem to have fewer scruples than the grumpy old blokes and just want to sell stuff. Good luck Mike

Lived in Aberdeen for a number of years and did a stint near Inverness, have done several tours over the years in allsorts of cars - started with girlfriend( now wife of 30 years) Citoen Dyane, then Mini Clubman + various family cars. Did a trip with my lad 3 years ago and he is planning another in the Tr7 for nexty ear- we went from home to Falkirk wheel , on through the Trossachs, Queens view loch tummel, then north to Black isle, chips in Wick and camping at JOGroats, next day along top coast on some really well maintained roads, finished near Ullapool as we'd missed last boat for Cape Wrath. Day 3 through Torrridin down to Skye, Ardgour peninsula and then cable car up Ben Nevis, disappointed to see how Fort William has decayed. Next day Loch Lomond and then home, TBH another day to poke about would have been useful, plenty of campsites along the way but can be a bit wet underfoot and full of German tourists who are half canned as they stagger off their tour buses to try and erect their tents.) Wild camping is legal but in the summer everylay by and gateway seemed to be clogged up with camper vans. Popular place! atb Mike

The guys in the Dutton Club are working very hard to tidy up a lot of the rogue cars that are incorrectly registered, as has been mentioned the numerous models made that are registered in imprecise terms have give the chancers a field day. As Longboarder rightly points out this has knock on effects for everyone on the roads as well asthe reputation of kit car owners of all sorts. There is a guy from Blackburn in the Dutton Club called Adrian who has put a lot of timeintothis, he should be onyour list of people to speak to; They have a fairly massive data base and might be able to link reg on the vehicle discussed here with "another Dutton" hth Mike

Watching the weather for this one, might have a run over if it isn't going to rain all day. atb Mike

Flexible ones good around exhausts etc where access can be awkward, we actually bought a 2nd set of the Halfrauds ones as we use them so much. My understanding is their guarantee doesn't cover ratchets but should cover the flex in the spanner, but not certain! atb Mike

Just spotted this, have emailed the guy for details and should be there in TR7 so long as the show is still on with the damp weather we have been experiencing. atb Mike

Have sent you a message

Our kit doesn't have an ignition key - the barrel is still fitted to fool the passing villain but security is effected by 1 ) Battery cut off switch under bonnet, (rarely used) 2) Electric fuel pump switch is a small unmarked rocker switch which means only a carb full of petrol to burn off 3) The ignition key and its 2 positions function has been replaced with an innocent looking heater switch. No probs so far and have left car in some strange places! hth Mike

It took me 3 years to give away a perfect set of black Westfield ones Wait until it is free listing then at least it won't cost you anything to try atb Mike

My son is 18 full licence, pass plus, he has a tiny fiat Seicento which is worth about £1100 but fully comp is £1660 for 5k mles and garaged every night. It is a real rip but everyone has to get on the ladder at some point. We looked at the kit car idea and best we found was a Quantum insured through the Quantum Owners Club which semed to be a bulk scheme, their 2+2 isn't so daft either as is XR2 based. Good luck! Mike nice one for sale in North Shields too: North Shields red Quantum

We use an old 3 phase woodworking lathe with buffer pads on- you can change the speed and it will run all day

Hi Steve, long time no see- was over to the NE yesterday on kit car business, sounds like the trip of a lifetime, nice reading as we look at the autumn trees the waterlogged garden and the unfinished patio! Brother in law - guy at Peterlee with the Midget did something similar but had the good fortune to get stuck for another 10 days due to Icelandic ash problem, real bummer , he had to hire another car and visit the vineyards again!! atb Mike

Hi Sean, do you have a pic of seats? email it through if you can My parents still live in Horden so collection not a problem so long as they'd fit in the car and with the Ninja green paint job atb Mike

If you are limiting the range of the rack RS do some split collars which are about £12 a pair from memory. It is looking good anyway! atb Mike

As above, staff in our local store are polite and friendly and quite knowledgeable; but when one of their cheap angle griinders went on fire the first time I plugged it in I was taken aback by the policy that it had to go back to the factory for checking :D [hopefully not by the same guy that had assembled it!] Needless to say it was replaced a few days later. Mike

Hi, Guy obviously doesn't want the job! Must be someone who would take it on in the neighbour hood Do you have a drawing? From description do you mean one end needs turning down to 16mm so it remains circular in section for the thread? How critical is the 20 degree angle- would this be best done on site? I''m on hols at moment but will be popping in to work next week, we have a small miller and several lathes so could probably help you on your way but would prefer a clear drawing to work off so there's no misunderstandings! M12 thread isn't a prob but not sure if we'd have a die for your nyloc, maybe some one else will jump out of the wood work with better facilities. atb Mike

We bought some from Rapid elecronics which have LED illuminated toggles which are about 1" long

We have a set of Westfield clam shells in black in good shape which anyone else can have for free, based in Cumbria, could drop off at Tanhill to get them in the system if that helps atb Mike

Good luck, its a tough job but the holidays are OK As mentioned above science dept is useless for car building atb Mike

Hi Marty, Have you looked at the long term durability of the home done powder coating system? We have had one for about 3 years and for rocker covers and brackets it seems Ok even on rusty stuff once degreased and primed with UHT paint. I did some wing top protectors for the jeep on thin small weave checker plate and after 2 and a half years it is starting to come off leadin gedge - we cured that in an oven but had to swap it round as door couldn't shut. Not sure if it is a problem relating to thickness of coat, cure temp or the surface but before doing a chassis I'd ask for other peoples experiences from the powdercoat macgic people - I'd hate your chassis to start peeling after a couple of years. My perception of commercially done stuff is tht the coating is thicker which must be worth having on a chassis atb Mike

We have used Parcel2go quite a bit for engine parts/ heads/ fly wheels and found them to be very good,sent a racing bike to London for £8, for longer stuff which they try to charge extra for we use www.parcelmonkey.co.uk and again they sub it out to UPS etc but it keeps the costs down!!! hth Mike

Big demand for looms! Did you get message yesterday?