Woohoo!! Reassembly starts!

No one commented about the small Nos bottle size - it's actually a lighter :) though it looked cool though.

New flat green LED's arrived with correct holder fitting, fitted these to the rev counter & speedo and they work really well.
Not as bright in real life as in the photos so they wont dazzle me.

http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/3455a6e731abbf4.jpg

Also got the aluminium (replacement for the urethanes) bushes turned up today and fitted to brake pedal - fitted to car now with the proper grease so that's never going to be an issue again.

http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/3455a6e72f22417.jpg

Also got some 60/75w Osram ultrabrights bulbs for better night vision headlamps - these are highly recommended as they last as long as OEM but are around 25-30% better for distance.

I got some of the Halfords ones, they were on 2 for 1 and I had a £25 voucher, cant say I've noticed the difference tho !

There's a lot of pseudo 'better' bulbs out there but not too many are any good.
Osram 'Nightbreakers' are very good, but these ones are better. Not very common over here - had to order them from China, although Amazon have 6 in stock this week.

Got my radiator back from being re-cored so shot a couple of coats of Epoxy satin black over it.

http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/3455abffda47396.jpg

Fitted it back today and took it out for a run to the Uxbridge show and met up with the Head Gasgits, it now runs 5-10 degrees cooler with plain water in it, should run even better with antifreeze after I've flushed it again and checked for any leaks.

When I fitted the brake pedal back I re-read the setup of the balance bar again and set it up a little better than before - what an improvement! front brakes lock up now and it really pulls up well. I probably need to put a little more balance back to the rears but its now how I want it in terms of effiency.

Still got to do the last few bulbs in the roof dash, this is the conversion I'm doing which works out neatly.

http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/3455abffd5b126b.jpg

Wooo, got the last gauges converted to LED's, different bulbs :no: in these so some real micro surgery on the bulbs required - especially the vacuum gauge as it needed 2 LED's in that one to get it bright enough.

http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/3455b022a357272.jpg

Worth the effort Mark, they look well mate.

Cheers. Tim W.

Thanks Tim, got a load of machined bits ready to collect tomorrow :yes:

Got some spacers machined for the rear shocks to limit the travel a bit as they have more travel than I have tyre clearance :eek: Yellow things are progressive bump stops that also go over the shaft of the shock.

http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/3455b15480ad992.jpg

Some more pretty bits made, steering wheel centre machined up to replace the plastic one - I need to machine the centre logo - it's just a printed autoCAD logo at present.

http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/3455b2aef0214b0.jpg

The shifter I bought s/hand and it never had a finisher for the centre so this was also machined up (with a quick printed centre again)

http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/3455b2aef23cbcb.jpg

Which fits in here like this;

http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/3455b2aef35c59e.jpg

Another couple of little jobs completed.

Well no updates recently but the pop has now almost done its first 1000 miles already!
No dramas, its getting better with use and the seats are surprisingly comfortable for racing seats. 2hours straight driving home from Ipswitch yesterday and no numb bum or anything.

Only big issue is I have broken my allegedly bulletproof 9 inch diff :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blackpopracing

Well no updates recently but the pop has now almost done its first 1000 miles already!
No dramas, its getting better with use and the seats are surprisingly comfortable for racing seats. 2hours straight driving home from Ipswitch yesterday and no numb bum or anything.

Only big issue is I have broken my allegedly bulletproof 9 inch diff :(

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In stock form they are fairly strong Mark but only to a point, the weak point is the pinion support, be wise to install a Daytona support while its out, is it a Posi or Detroit locker ???

I don't know Steve, I just bought it off Wayne when he shipped 2 over from Summit.
I'll photo it later in the week when I've pulled it out.
What's a Daytona support?

this any good mark?
http://www.nsra.org.uk/newforum/show...-hot-rod-drags

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blackpopracing

I don't know Steve, I just bought it off Wayne when he shipped 2 over from Summit.
I'll photo it later in the week when I've pulled it out.
What's a Daytona support?

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Daytone pinion support is upgraded support, they don't break like the standard do. If it clicks around corners it's a locker as they are mechanical and uses gear oil, posi has clutches and uses LSD oil

Well I guess this is not what you want to find in the bottom of your axle casing :(



http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/3455e4a89f19743.jpg

http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/3455e4a8a1af157.jpg

http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/3455e4a8a56669b.jpg

http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/3455e4a8a7a9c8a.jpg

http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/3455e4a8ac098c5.jpg

I'm assuming that as there was bits of metal in the oil then the crown & Pinion might have to be replaced too? They look ok but might be microscopically damaged?
Same for the halfshaft bearings?

Can you recognise the type from the photos Steve? Clicking on corners was cos it was broken.
Why would the planetary gears break?

It looks like a posi to me, I would hazard a guess at abuse, You should get away with the gears by the look of it but would like a closer look, axle bearings should be ok as there is/should be a seal just inside the tubes

No major abuse (compared to racing it) not even done a burnout in it yet, just a few hard launches.
No seals in tube - do you mean at diff end of tubes? how would oil get to bearing if there was?
Is there a stronger replacement?

I'll let Paul inspect & replace as necessary.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blackpopracing

No major abuse (compared to racing it) not even done a burnout in it yet, just a few hard launches.
No seals in tube - do you mean at diff end of tubes? how would oil get to bearing if there was?
Is there a stronger replacement?

I'll let Paul inspect & replace as necessary.

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Axle bearings should be sealed type, seals are just behind bearing in the tube. You did have the correct oil in it yes ???
I would take it up with who you bought it from.

I bought the diff from Wayne a few years ago. Bearings are the ones that came with the Strange shafts you got me - seals are on the outside as bearings are oiled via diff oil.
Yes I used LSD oil with the LSD additive as well.

Positraction is a GM product. Ford used a Traction Loc diff. That doesn't look like a factory one, was it cheaper than the big names? They certainly aren't bulletproof, in fact a Traction Loc is the weakest set up, True Trac next up with a Detroit Locker the strongest. Trouble is a Detroit Locker is a bit on/off and so a True Trac is regarded as a good choice for a decent street car.