brumster

I think he means roof-hood thing.

I have one for a Zero but I doubt it'll fit a 2B?

Funny timing of thread; I saw this on my facebook feed this morning

No guide that I'm aware of, but a 2B owner might know more. What you've done is obviously a little special in that it's a conversion from sliding pillar, but it's not the first, that I'm sure of - I would have thought GBS could advise, if they have provided the conversion kit. What rack do they suggest to use with it? Not being a 2B owner myself I'm less au fait with this particular conversion you've done.

Mk.II rack is what's fitted to the Ford-based Zeros. There are differing types (long/short pinion) but that doesn't really matter for yourself. You will almost certain need to modify the arms in length anyway, so you'll be stripping it down a little to remove the steering arms anyway. The racks are plentiful and easy enough to come by cheaply... in a variety of ratios too.

I only remember the number plate of my own cars might be worth a picture to jog people's memories if they remember seeing it at a show, club meet, etc?

Seems fair to me, I wouldn't be quibbling or shopping around over £18.

Front seal is a PITA to do though...

Nice vid, interesting!

I think it's one thing to be using these types of washers on mission/life-critical systems but I won't be rushing to swap all the bolts on a car for them . I lockwire the important stuff, and I also torque seal bolts where I need to know if they've shifted. I've yet to find a bolt loosened where it shouldn't have

....and I'm all fixed again, fwiw braaaap, sweet as a nut! Let's see how long this one lasts, if it goes again it's Duratec time

Nothing with engines is ever cheap if you're doing it right (14 valves down, head gasket, head bolts, timing belt, tensioner, new tensioner bolt because I don't trust the old one now, new cam cover gasket.... )

A quick search does indeed suggest they are stretch bolts :

https://workshop-manuals.com/ford/focus_1999_08.1998-12.2004/mechanical_repairs/3_powertrain/303_engine/303-01b_engine_1.6l_zetec-e_(zetec)-1.8l_zetec-e_(zetec)-2.0l_zetec-e_(zetec)/description_and_operation/diagnosis_and_testing/general_procedures/in-vehicle_repair/removal/disassembly/assembly/engine/

With stretch bolts it is sometimes possible to re-use them (ARP are like this) but you need to specifically measure how much the bolt has stretched from original spec, and adjust the tightening procedure to compensate. ARP give you the details for this; Ford don't (which probably means don't reuse). Coupled with what you are describing, I really wouldn't risk it. These puppies really do take a hammering. It's one thing to do half-measure fixes on kit cars like "Oh, that wheel arch isn't on quite square but, pffft, I'll live with it" but with engines, I never cut corners, it usually not worth it in the mid to long term. Put some ARPs on it anyway, that way you have some reuse in the future (measure them before you install and keep a note)...

I would inspect it first and just check how much wadding is still in it - it might have blown/burnt it all out, in which case yes you'll see an improvement

Agreed/seconded, hikvision are everywhere (often rebadged by security companies), for the money, unless you're after a commercial grade system - but to be honest, for the features they have at the price bracket, they are pretty damn impressive. 1080p coax systems are cost effective now. Just buy decent cameras; some of the cheaper CCDs crap out after a few years and the whitebalance goes off on them.

Just a suggestion - from my experience some places don't take email contact very seriously, I always try to ring first, have a chat, go over the idea, and then follow up the detail in an email if they ask for it. Builds up some conversation so that they take you seriously versus just another "internet hero with great plans in his head but no intention of actually following through when it comes to committing"....

Maybe, maybe, let's see how this weekend goes - don't want to count my chickens

That'll be done this weekend winter doesn't count

Oooo you've just reminded me I do have a rear diff seal to do... hmmm... that can probably wait until spring

My winter project will hopefully be kitting out an entirely new garage (fingers crossed we're moving!) with doors, insulation, heating, new floor, pillar lift, etc... and not touching a car at all!

RHE themselves made a short-run kit (prototypes only, maybe?) with the lump in the back (the Rover engine, if I remember correctly)...

I can't imagine the car would handle very nicely though

You turbo lot are all torque....

Other option is to buy a calibrated sensor first-off. KA Sensors would be my recommendation. You get a spec sheet with the sensor showing voltage range and calibrated pressures at specified voltages (or temperatures/etc).

But then you need a specific gauge of course, or something that can be adjusted to match. So it's all a bit high-end really. Most of the time you just want to know a ballpark figure - is there any oil pressure at all I don't care whether it's 15 or 20 psi, as long as it's not 0

Thanks Dan, i will double check, i'm fairly sure it's ok though, for example electronic handbrakes are not classed as "mechanical" but they don't have to go through IVA i guess.... i will check.

Aye, it's open to interpretation. The original premise was that hydraulic systems are liable to leaks or fluid expansion and so can "bleed" the stored energy in them when applied, so were frowned upon. Certainly in motorsport, scrutineers have this as a hot topic and I know many stories of people denied starting an event on the basis they'd had their factory handbrake removed for a hydraulic.

I'm told these new electronic handbrakes have safeguards in them in the sense they are motor/cable driven with a ratchet actuation still, should something fail.

I know the debate between stored energy in a fluid line versus stored energy in a tensioned cable could be a lengthy one - I'm not offering any interpretation, just mentioning how I've known past discussions go good luck!

I'm sure you're aware, but pay close attention to 09A.9 in the IVA manual. The interpretation has been debated, I'll leave you to make your own and discuss with the IVA inspector as and when. Might be worth a call to them first and just validate what their definition of "mechanical" is.

Is it me or is the Charnwood one pretty much a rebranded/rebadged Aldi replica (ie. they're made by the same person and just branded accordingly)?

As per Longboarder, that's the problem, the clamshell-type wings simply don't meet the requirements of coming down the front and back of the tyre enough. Of course you could modify or make your own wing that's got a "squarer" front profile (still, no sharp edges!) and tapers in less to the rear, and you'd be ok, but would the aesthetic of the swept wing still be acceptable? Not sure.

When you're tweaking for emissions, you really do need exactly what you say - a gas analyser and the ability to tweak the fuel map live. It's not necessarily the case of making it as lean as possible - you lean it off to much and you get unburnt fuel and your hydrocarbons go through the roof. You can also fiddle with the ignition map a little, I found this didn't really achieve as much as I thought it would, but maybe it's different from one engine to another. Probably of more use on the idle test, rather than fast idle.

I found that once I had addressed the air leak in my exhaust, getting it on the money in terms of the emmission requirements was pretty easy.