First of all, thank you to everyone who is coming along watching me build my car and giving me support. At the moment there's not much going on as I have used up everything that came with the kit and I need to spend a bit more cash to keep going. However what I need are the expensive items, such as seats and all the lights, dials etc. These things will have to wait until after the holiday period that's coming up.

I have at last took the plunge and bought a battery. Its a Red Top 25 in a box that I'm going to mount down in front of the passenger footwell. From there it is a short run to the starter and a easy run up to the fuse box. I considered over the diff at the back but it's going in the easiest place and I will be putting plenty of insulation in the box around the battery to keep the heat out.

In the meantime while the car building is slow I've turned over around 10sqM of the back lawn to vegetables, (thats ones you can eat, not from the local pub!) Once thats all set I can get back on with the car safe in the knowledge the money I will save on veg will offset the car!! We all need to do our bit?

Slow Progress

Well, it's been very slow this last week or so. I simply don't have the time to devote at the moment. Gardening activities and work have left me little time to think about the car. I also suffer from a condition called psoriasis that is aggressive on my hands and feet. At the moment I am having a rather flaky attack on my palms as happens occasionally and it needs a few weeks to settle down. I need a couple of weeks in the sun and that generally makes it regress for a while. Roll on Magaluf!



It's close but it doesn't touch!

I received the remote oil filter kit I ordered from Merlin Motorsport Friday and it goes on OK. The steering shaft turns without touching the take off, JUST! It would seem to have a little bend in it as it moves away and then back as the shaft is rotated. It turns above the highest part of the take off blanking plate so isn't really as bad as the photo looks. I still have the option of a shorter steering shaft that will move the upper uj fulcrum down and the shaft away from the engine slightly. I'll see what happens when the engines running and moving on the mounts, it may not be necessary. I just need to decide where to put the remote filter and there is a handy bracket under the bits of wood I used to support the body where it looks to be OK.

As I mentioned its slow as I want to get on with the seats, so I can set the steering column and scuttle and then finish the electrics off. All this means another rather large cash payout that I don't have at the moment. I need seats, battery and lights but they will have to wait a little as holidays are looming. I have tickets with a couple of mates to go see Metallica at Wembley in July but as we've just found out it's on the same weekend as that ridiculous earth concert that's trying to save the planet. The need for some accommodation has just got a bit urgent as we don't want to leave it to the last minute and get caught out.

Originally i was using ZZR1100 carbs but an opportunity for some R1 carbs with a Blogg brothers manifold so I'm waiting for them before I start work on the engine.

12th April.

Picked my tunnel cover up this morning and had a poke around the cars. Anyway lots of action at MNR this morning with Marc off to see about getting married so i was inspired, that, with marriage in mind he still had time to give me advise and solutions to some of my problems.
It seems I have a fairly unique build with the zetec and drum brakes so its time to get the thinking cap on and spend some time and cash getting my install to be well engineered to my own liking.
No progress this week due to being miles away on work commitments but I will be ordering oil remote filter stuff and getting stuck in trying to get the engine to run.
Just one small problem.. I've fitted the transmission dry, ie no fluids in the engine, box or diff and I cant get at the gearbox plug because of the bulkhead. Its over to Locostbuilders to see if I can fill it through the gearstick hole!

6th April.

Nice sunny day today, 2 hours sunbathing this morning and time to crack on. Her indoors doesn't want to go out anywhere so I can get on with it.

I've sorted the rear brake hose problem by fitting little ali brackets to the inside and running the brake pipe in loop to meet it. That way I didn't need to alter the brake pipe length or have to reflare the end. The result is neat and looks quite good with the hose now well out of the way of the wheel and all the suspension bits and pieces.



I also attached the front hoses and torqued the wishbones up. In fact being quite inspired I've fitted the exhaust and carbs for a photo opportunity and its lifted me a fair bit.

One of the helpful guys on locostbuilders has had the same fitting problems as me with a zetec engine so I don't feel as all alone as I did before. He has some pictures that will help me get round the issues. The forum is really an outstanding source of knowledge and problem solving. When you can just go to the pc with problems and get instance responces and support it makes you feel like your not alone. I thank you all very much.

I bought a really small oil filter the other day and had a go this afternoon. Despite being only 55m tall it still touches the steering shaft. However, I'm not too down heartened as I think a remote filter will go in and I'd much rather have a full size filter anyway.

5th April.

Lovely weather predicted for the next few days, even if I did scrape ice off the windscreen this morning! Still a bit soon for the tomatoes in the greenhouse!

Rattling on with the rear brakes, new cylinders that fit, just puzzling over how all the levers and springs go together. Its months since I took them to bits and chucked them in an old paint bucket! The manual gives a clue but is not clear and generally a bit confusing.

New cylinders, shoes, cable and fittings. All together I had to pull the handbrake cable slack to stop it jumping off the shoe and the drums were a real struggle to get on. Its hard to push the bloody thing now as well but I'm sure they will slacken up once bedded in.

I want to get the brakes full of fluid and bled before Saturday so I drilled a hole in the side panel were the brake pipe ends on the other side. Once I'd screwed the union on I could see the danger. The brake pipe runs far too close to the tyre and I'm sure it will touch in flight. I'm thinking of a 90deg adapter there or a bracket on the inside that will move the pipe away from the wheel completely.

I reckon once I get some Carlos Fandago boolers on they will defiantly clash. A certain failure point for Mr. SVA.

Hopefully I will see a lot happen over the next four days as I've tidied the wiring and attached the fusebox to the scuttle hoop. I need to order a battery! I keep telling myself but I'm resisting the cost!!

31st March.

I have come across a considerable problem. Its not the car, its me... I've lost the drive and enthusiasm I had just two weeks ago and its slowing me down.

Example... I purchased new brake cylinders, shoes, clips, and a handbrake cable the other day but coming to fit them I found the cylinders to be the wrong ones. Well, being duped by the clocks going forward the bloody car shop was closed when I went back at 4:50..... the whole lot is contriving to piss me off with the car... big time.

On a positive note I purchased a box of Budweiser today in Tesco that might take me mind off it. I have also decided to abstain from my Thursday night ritual... a filthy donor kebab. The money saved will fund a digi dash.. maybe!

This week I have tidied the front wiring harness, connecting the rad fan. I've also installed the headlight bar and have been seeking a solution to my quest to mount the indicators under the headlights AKA Caterham style. A suitable solution has been suggested by a fellow enthusiast on the LocostBuilders forum. I will be purchasing my 100 foot length of waste pipe soon....

A few minutes ago I bolted the steering intermediate shaft in for the first time and put the lights out when I saw the link runs about 2" past the oil filter housing on me Zetec engine... Argghhhhh!!! A suitable solution will take a long time thinking....

Looks like a remote filter housing and, while I'm on, an oil cooler are on the cards. May as well do it now as I would need it for the turbo that is lurking on the horizon!


Me thinks its time to get the motor running, presuming it did before! My quest for some 2L cams has proved fruitless so far, and I may just see it through SVA the way it is. Might be a good thing as I plan the turbo conversion to have more PTW ratio than an R500 Caterham!

I tried to fit the front wheel arches as well today but the lack of suitable M12 bolts put paid to that one.

All was not lost however, as B&Q came up with with some healthy tomato plants in 3 variates that wil go in the greenhouse soon. At least we should have a nice crop of toms in September. Hope the car is ready then!!

27th Quick Update.

Just a quick update. The steering arm and TRE that I wanted to use are too much work. The taper on the rod end is a different taper so it's not worth progressing any further with that one.
The weather seems to have warmed up a bit so I will be cracking on this weekend with the brakes and wiring. Watch this space!

24th March

Absolutely no progress this week due to sub zero temperatures and snow. Wednesday saw -3 on the dash in me tin top that promptly refused to go. I've bought some new glow plugs but I hope thats the last of the winter weather for now. Who said global warming was a bad thing?

My new greenhouse arrived Friday so today I've broke my back putting some concrete footings in for it to stand on. I've buggered the settings on my camera and pictures are coming out with a blue tinge! Ive managed to get a decent picture of the car with the engine and transmission in. it's not touching anything now so I hope its not coming out any more. Fingers crossed!

I'm hoping to purchase a new battery when I get paid next week so I can finish the wiring off and get the body work fitted correctly.

I'm investigating changing the rack arms and extension as I have an arm and track rod end that are same length as the Sierra ones with the extension fitted. The thread were the arm fits into the rack is a M20 so I'm going to try and get it turned down to fit the smaller Sierra thread. Theres no advantage just will look better than having the three piece with the extension and I can get the track rod ends for free!

18th March

4 weeks in now and I've been very busy this weekend. The garden is looking a lot better and my tomato plants are coming on. Just waiting for my new greenhouse to arrive....
On the car front I've spent a small amount of time since sorting the steering but have progressed really well. The engine and box are in after I ground the chassis rail away where it was touching the bellhousing. No dramas, the rail where I ground it down was a blank end with a cap welded on. I took around 10mm off rounding it, and it didn't break through into the tube.



Above is the offending bit of chassis . You can see where the
bellhousing was touching.

One thick bit of weld just to cap it off I must say. This is probably unique to my car as it will in no way affect a bike engined installation.



I moved the brake line up on the other side of the bulkhead and across to the cylinder. There is no way there will be anything contacting it now.

It looks a bit wonky due to being rerouted but nothing too bad and I've secured it with plenty of P clips.

I fitted the bracket and brake fluid cylinder to the front of the bulkhead while I was in that area with the drill.



I fitted the radiator with a bit of a fiddle. The top brackets supplied were no good on one side because of the way the chassis rails are welded so I fabricated some new straight ones out of ali. The bottom mounts were regulation, BUT, I wish I'd done it before fitting the body as drilling and riveting the brackets to the outside of the rail as intended is impossible with the body fitted. Fitting to the inside of the chassis rail and a certain precise bit of bending got them in place and the radiator bolted on. I used M6 bolts to mount the rad as it may need to come off later. I don't intend too, but, you never know!

I've got loads of bits to carry on with, notably more wiring and the brakes. I need to spend some cash to progress now and that will have to wait until pay day. As I've said before I'm skint!!

15th March.

Tuesday saw me down to MNR to correct the rack problem. The problem seems to be there are two different lengths of ali extensions for different uprights and also different length Ford rack arms! Marc turned the extensions down and when I got home they fitted excellently.

Rest day Wednesday waiting for NEDL to come and change our electric meter. I opened the garage door and worked on the car while I waited and some how still managed to miss him! He must have sneaked past to put the leaflet through the letterbox!

A good day, I fitted the front shockers which I thought where too long but they settled down once I had them in. I ordered some P clips off ebay the other night but only needing 3 to hold the front wiring under the scuttle I made some out of a ali strip so I could crack on getting the engine in.

Before too long, around 30 minutes the engine, box and prop shaft where in place. Hmm, why doesn't the left hand engine mount fit? The left side engine extension is pulling the rubber mount towards the engine and not seating correctly. I soon found out the gearbox bellhousing is resting on one of the chassis tubes. Its the one that runs across the bottom of the footwell and is cutout on mine to get the gearbox in. It has been capped and all I can think is that the mounts were made before the chassis was finished off. Its got a big snot of weld on it so I'm thinking about the angle grinder fix at the moment. Problem is its all nicely powered coated and I don't want to spoil it. I'm thinking about it at the moment as I may be able to raise the gearbox mount to clear it.

I said before that I didn't want to keep lifting the engine in and out and it was to be a once only install? Well, its coming out again as the arc of the clutch arm is exactly where my rear brake pipe is and touching it. It will have to be rerouted. I really couldn't have lined it any better to touch if I'd tried!!

I pushed the car outside to configure the engine install and couldn't resist taking a picture.
1 hour after the above picture it had engine and transmission with the front shocks on as well.