Bob Tucker

An uprated 1st gear is a very good idea. I have a BGH E6 gearbox, & its one of the best changes I made to the car. http://www.bghgeartech.co.uk/ They also supply gear kits to your spec. Well worth a call, they are serious kit car modifying guys, not just a business. The owner designed the 6 speed Caterham box.

Lift the panel up if you can otherwise your fixing method will show on the outside of the car. If your screws/rivets are at the top of the tube your boot covering will mask it. Ive shrunk my pics as far as possible but it wont let me post them. Sorry.

The red line is right now. The semi circle cutout needs to be central in the tight 180 degree bend. Maca's video above helps a bit.

I'm out in the garage tomorrow, ill try to take some pics and save thousands of misleading words!

Hi James, in case you havent got the laughable videos, one of our members, Ivan, took the time to upload them to youtube, the first one is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoXGacMEi-E&list=PL9qrNZjmGh8M7oESfvvuf3bIBqoyvnsen&index=16 You can follow the others from it. Somewhere there is an index, but I cant find it. Your red line is correct at the top, but your red line and the return should stay parallel to the side of the panel. I used a length of scaffold pole, clamped the edge to it and rolled it round the pole right back on itself. The bigger curve can be bent by hand carefully. The side panels can easily be bent wrongly resulting in an ugly crescent shaped dimple. The key seems to be to pack out the bottom and/or top of the panel above or below the chassis rails so it is stretched exactly flat from bottom to top. If it is allowed to bow, it will distort when you try to bend the top inwards. More info here..especially under build tips. https://nw.rhocar.org/ HTH Bob

Hi, this group is probably the best source of building advice for any kitcars. The club has been running for decades, and we will have come across any problem you are likely to find. Being in Ashford, you will be able to use Gillingham IVA station. They are one of the best. They will offer advice over the phone while you build, and they are prepared to tell you exactly what to do to fix anything they need to fail during the test. What model of RH have you bought?

These may help..... https://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=1375_1605&products_id=11857 Run a search on here for "cycle wings" plenty of hints & tips.

According to Burtons, the head needs machining to fit new guides. To be honest any good machining shop will be able to do it. You could even buy your own guides & get them to fit them. But make sure they are worn enough to justify it. I dont know of any pintos that have needed to be done. Usually replacing the oil seals will stop any smoking. What symptoms has the engine got to make you believe they need replacing?? https://www.burtonpower.com/valve-guide-cast-iron-inlet-exhaust-fp380.html

Well done....it will be well worth the struggle.

Port and starboard Bob.....easy for a pilot of a jumbo jet, but model aircraft are much more difficult. For example, if its upside down and coming towards you... The elevator is reversed, the ailerons are reversed, and the rudder is reversed. If its right side up coming towards you, elevator is normal, rudder and ailerons are both reversed. If its upside down going away, elevator is reversed, ailerons are normal, rudder is reversed. Port and starboard are minor considerations trying to get a 70 year old brain working all that out in milliseconds. Thats why I build so many..

Is that standing in front of it? or driving it?

Brilliant!

It cannot be removable, so welding only.

Hi Leslie, I have the Rally Design quickshift & very impressed with it. Cant see it on their website any more. You can do your own.....cant remember where the details are, but just Hammer the gear lever further down on the spherical ball gizmo by 10 mm, then fit same size nuts under the plate with longer fixing bolts. Found it...http://www.dvandrews.co.uk/ Burtons at £119 is a total ripoff. Martin Lewis racing at £39 seems OK. This may help if you DIY https://www.burtonpower.com/quickshift-gearlever-kit-type-9-5-speed-ford-sierra-qs03k.html

Small stainless Allen headed bolts. Nobody knows that they aren't attached to something inside. They look like a proper engineering solution.

NGK spark plugs have been the best for me in the redtop. We also use the exact same plugs in the Corvette with no problems at all. They get a really hard thrashing, but they dont do much mileage. Ive had brand new (Halfords) champion plugs fail immediately.

Thackeray washers. Like a 2 coil spiral, There must be a gap (size not important) between the coils. It should be possible to move the carbs up & down slightly.

Thrashed is spot on. I upgraded my 2.0 pinto with stage 2 head, FR32 cam and twin 40s. Luckily I have been tinkering with Webers for many decades, but they are demanding. Bike carbs with a suitable manifold will be a better bet, but they do need a rolling road session to get the best from them. Also the cam has to be inserted from the rear, so the head has to be removed, so while its off why not upgrade it? I got 140 flywheel bhp, and loadsa torque, plus a reliable easily DIY maintained lump that certainly had a character of its own. I now have a 210 bhp REdtop, which is brilliant, but at times I do miss the slugging pinto.

https://cnx.org/contents/oKbaEWQ3@2/Selection-and-Tuning-of-Weber-DCOE-Carburetors

My experience only. It depends how your carbs have been setup. Do not use the choke, (cold start levers) on twin 40s. You will drastically flood the engine, hence wet plugs and an engine that wont start. Even Weber dealers sell a kit to remove the entire choke assembly. For a cold start, pump the throttle to the floor 3 or 4 times, hold a small amount of throttle open. If it fires then stops, pump 2 or 3 times, small throttle & retry. Heres another article. There is a diagram showing the idle (speed) adjustment and the 4 idle (mixture) screws. Follow the initial setup description. Also look up the balance bar adjustment between the front and rear carb. That may well need resetting if you have recently fitted the carbs.

Dave Andrews has a helpful article here. http://www.dvandrews.co.uk/

Take a look a bike carb conversions too. These seem more popular than Webers or Dellortoes that may well be 30 or 40 years old.

Ive had a look into your carbs, the G model was designed as an emissions model, and is substantially different internally from the regular DHLA, and designed to be tamper proof. You may be stuck with them as they are. Search for DHLA G theres some info out there, mostly suggesting replacing them. Sorry! But check the other stuff too. Good luck,

Hi Mark as youve already checked ignition, cam and valves, id start with the carbs. Compression could be better on 3, but not a real problem unless its 3 that spitting back? They have numerous gaskets and diaphragms that could have dried up over 6 years. Spitting back from a carb is most often a weak mixture. Also check for any manifold air leaks, including cracked pipes for servo, dizzy etc. This guy is a real whiz.....http://www.dvandrews.co.uk/ Also do a search here for "spitting and backfiring" its a common question.