brumster

I don't think what I'm thinking of was specifically Wunderseal but it sounds like the same sort of thing. It was black rather than grey/silver, but I think essentially it was the same thing. I know it was definately brush-on though, no need for a Schutz gun.

I think anything that's of a non-hardening nature should do you; stop it chipping off with impact.

Oh gawd, I can't remember either, but when I built the GTM I used a rubberised paint-on substance - it wasn't your usual underdeal, it was something very specific that I picked up at Stoneleigh once. I think it was by U-Pol.

Either that or you could stick some foam padding in there, a bit like what manufacturers do (but probably costly, fiddly and dependent on space).

I have done, yes, but I use one of these 'smart chargers' so maybe I have a little more confidence in it than the old £9.99 metal-box chargers from the local car boot

That is NOT right - the resistor shouldn't even have current going through it when the master switch is on! Are you sure you've got it wired correctly, I'm fairly confident in saying you haven't (that's put my neck on the line!)...

Pay attention to the "1" and "2" pairs.

edit: I should hasten to point out it wouldn't be the first fubar'd master switch I've heard off. And if that resistor has spent any significant time smoking it's probably knackered now too! Verify wiring, verify terminals with a multimeter.

With master switch ON, the "1" pins should show NO continuity and the "2" pins should be closed (ie. show continuity).

with master switch OFF, the opposite, obviously

Agreed, the contacts for the soak resistor are only closed when the switch is in the "off" position - so for it to be getting warm (hot!) then your master switch cannot be switching off both batteries. Wire the anderson connector to the in-car battery (or electrically equivalent to that).

Be careful, I assume it's wired right - you'll have 4 contacts on the switch. One pair are closed when the master switch is closed, the others are the inverse (closed when switch is open). It's the latter you want to use for the soak resistor. The other pair are for fuel pump, ECU, or somesuch (if you want to use them).

P.S. The resistor is also there to dump charge from the alternator and cut the car - you'll often find in modern-day ECU driven cars that, even with the master switch flipped, there is enough charge from the alternator to feed back and keep the car running. Without it soaking up the sudden peak from the alternator you might find your car carries on running hence the rather big ceramic resistor

True or not, I'm crying here

The release bearing is held 'firmly' in contact with the diaphragm fingers by the pawl spring in the original sierra pedal assembly when the pedal is not being pressed. Many aftermarket arrangements, ie kitcar manufacturer pedal box, don't have this feature. Hence the release bearing can rattle. Fit a spring in the system to tension the cable or just up the idle (1000-1200rpm) which often helps.

This. I have a spring mod to do tomorrow for exactly this reason!

Yep, looks like an S2000 lump

Blimey - so the "head restraint" portion of those seats are actually supporting your back ? So your head is way above the line of the rollover bar, presumably?

This does all just look such a load of hassle for you, and I know we talked about it at club night, but you didn't strike me as that tall a chap sitting down !! I wonder if this whole palava has stemmed from the seats - they just seem to high, or don't let you sink down enough - which is a shame because I've not seen any other S7-type car have to go through this ordeal to pass IVA on the harness mounting points..!

Good work though

Unless it's horrendous weather, myself and the little'un will be coming as she's quite keen to camp. But with no weather gear, I won't be putting her through the long journey if it's horrendous (a little bit of rain, as we all know, is no issue provided you're moving!). Probably up in convoy with the rest of the Midlands squad, by the sounds of things. Will play it by ear, basically.

Sorry, I misread "bullet" as "rocket" for some reason! Apologies! Paul is right, you won't be 2.5:1 on 1st then (or very unlikely)....

As for final drive, only you will know what diff you've got fitted most likely 3.65:1 if you've got a common Sierra diff....?

I wouldn't worry to much then, given you're usage. It depends on the ratios you get but in general you get a taller 5th for cruising, but a horrendously short 1st gear that's next to useless compared to your bullet. You currently have a 1st ratio of 2.5:1; the 5 speed will be more like 3.16:1 or 3.36:1. Depends how you find your current gear setup! But if you like the ratios from 1st to 2nd and are not fussed about top end economy, I would stay as you are unless you plump for a 5 speed with something like the BGT gearkit with revised ratios - these transform the 5 speed to something nice and useable, lovely set of spaced ratios.

edit: P.S. you can have a fiddle with this :- http://locost7.info/gearcalc.php

Warwickshire/Worcester/West Midlands meet.

It's here :-

http://www.tobycarvery.co.uk/stonebridgeislandcoventry/

Google maps link :-

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=CV7+7HL&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=CV7+7HL,+United+Kingdom&ll=52.445691,-1.689019&spn=0.010058,0.027874&t=m&z=16&vpsrc=4

Will be there, and hopefully in the Hood this time if the weather holds out (though they reckon not !!)

Radiator-wise, I used a Seat Ibiza turbo-diesel rad from the mid-90's :-

Looking at the 2B though it seems quite narrow, I'm not sure it'll fit in, but it was ideal for me because it's not very tall, perfect width and the hose take-offs were in just the right position. It allowed me to move it up into the nosecone good.

Fan-wise, look for a decent SPAL item on ebay. Don't bother with the £30 copies, they simply don't move the air as like a proper £80 SPAL one does. I've since dumped the one in the picture for a "puller" that goes on the back of the rad...

If you've got a friendly local motor factor, ask if you can flick through his radiator parts book - that's what mine did when I found this Ibiza/Polo diesel rad. Just have an idea of the dimensions you need, then look through the catalogue - particularly at small family hatchbacks with big diesel engines plenty of capacity in those rads!

Chris, did you not find the LSD made the car more understeery? Which diff did you fit, out of interest - the standard XR4x4/Cosworth viscous one?

Try to go with a modern, fuel injected engine if you can. You'll love it more in the long-term; there are no down-sides to it. It'll perform just as well as a carb'd engine at the top end, but should prove more tractable everywhere else, the starting will be better, the economy and the emmissions should be better overall too.

A lot of people are put off by the complexity. If you're the type who knows how to properly set up a twin DCOE setup then there's no reason why you can't set up a fuel injection system with a bit of reading, common sense and if need be a laptop. But let's face it, most people just run the car over to a rolling road and pay someone to sort it out, which is far easier and quicker!

Get them ceramic coated I can put you in touch with a company in Lichfield should it interest you...!

They're brand new as in new supplied late 2009 and never used ever since - still in packaging. I just wanted white, that's all, so if I can sell them and order new ones with GBS I'll be happier than having to spray them. They are the conventional wings as opposed to the "sports" ones.

Say £100 for the nosecone and £80 for the front wings. The rear wings are the early type where it's just fibreglass outers and panelled mains, say £20 for those making it a round £200 for the lot.

Well, I've done it, am now the proud owner of a Zero kit....

Away in storage now until the winter when I'll start the build. It anyone is interested in the green nosecone and wings, let me know

Very tempting to get cracking on it but I don't have the time, space or money yet - need to get the rally season over with and get some use out of the current 'Hood over the summer... so no rush.

Happy chappy, though, saved a few quid... thanks to Gaz and Richard for some useful info...

C&U Regs :-

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/part/II/chapter/E/made

Section 34

34.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5), every vehicle fitted with a windscreen shall, unless the driver can obtain an adequate view to the front of the vehicle without looking through the windscreen, be fitted with one or more efficient automatic windscreen wipers capable of clearing the windscreen so that the driver has an adequate view of the road in front of both sides of the vehicle and to the front of the vehicle.

Key bit, I suspect, is whether you deem your view of the front of the car as adequate while looking over the top of it. Or, more importantly, if a police officer or court of law would agree with you

I changed engine in another car a couple of years back (same type of engine but a new capacity and number on the V5) as part of a registration of a plate transfer. Provided no further details/receipts etc and the V5 came back all good and updated . I guess at times you can be lucky and it creeps through unnoticed...

Ah ok, I see fairy nuff!

No manual is fine - like you say, if previous experience fails me (which it more than likely will) I have the wonders of this club to pull me through!

Well, help me out with the joke

It's either (a) funny because there's stuff all else - which is good news as far as I'm concerned!

or it's ( funny because I've missed such a stack load of other things that I don't know about, in which case, I'm all ears

Ta muchly