JohnSt

Don't know about the heads but the Bottom end is scrap Spec before Grenade job, especially for the 'Hard of Thinking' (Yes Dunc, that's you ) EJ257 Running in was driving on to trailer from new, then off again at Kames to the start line. Complete as of end 2006 season with Huge score on Bore No. 2. CP pistons, one of which was hand fettled with wet and Dry, to fit back in the bore after a standard rod bend and the piston touched down on the Main bearing Web. Pauter Rods, One has had the Big End Cap let down and then the rod assembly re-honed back to the righ size. Other 3 rods lightened by 4grams to rematch the set. ---john---

Grenade job !!

That's a conversation I'm going to have to have tomorrow

You're still not getting it, 'there is no money in that engine' as Stephen so eloquently pointed out Edited to say you finally twigged !!!!

Dunc, that engine owes me nothing, it is three seasons old and was being replaced anyway. So it's a no cost option, I'd much rather I found I had an isue with this tired old thing than a new Shiney one, where's the negative ?

Hi Stephen, good to see you today Good news today! The old car has never cornered well enough to generate enough lateral G's to give me oil surge issues, the new one does New Engine required sooner than I anticipated LOL. ---john---

That was an early pic, sticking on vinyl numbers is a want to have, not a need to run If you were as sharp as you think you are you would have noticed there were no washer jets either Must remember to run a legal eye over the Fiesta next time out In any case, joking aside John, I mean it is currently Taxed, tested and Insured, any RTA violations are down to me

Went over to Progrip on Tuesday (I think it's been a long sleepless week....) with a shell with engine and transmision fitted. Had to push car off the trailer and onto the ramp with the help of Kenny.S and Scooter, a friend that I work with. Spent two hours with John getting the car right, and feck me is it right What a job, car handles like a dream. John's attitude is great, if he can help, he will.... Top Top Guy !!!!!!

We've gone with the engine from the old car, new one should be something special. It is based on a colabration of parts from Lateral Performance and Machining/Build Skills from Chy @ Pennine Subaru. Mark and Chy are working together to build a Beasty short motor. I think in the UK at the moment Chy is the only guy turning out a linered CDB I would trust to do the job asked Really looking forward to getting my hands on thatengine is not Yet in the car. Then we can let Andy loose on the car again The car is currently 100% road legal so a fair bit of testing will be going on too, a luxury I never had with the old one.

Excellent day today, far exceeded my expectations. Finished the car at 02:30 this morning and due to double booked toe car issues, was up at 04:30 to take the car down to Kames, never even been out of the driveway. Considering this our niggles were minor, couple of loose nuts, a loose bolt and a wee wiring issue, that once bounced off someone else in the clear light of day was easily resolved. A second bleed of the brakes as I though the pedal was a bit long and we were off........ Kames Anti -Clockwise Record: 79.13 First Practice, never driven car, car never been driven turned in an 80.something. No wheels fell off, well chuffed. Second practice under the record with an 78.78 What was intended to be a shakedown/Nutup day was shaping into something else. Ran both practices without Diff controller to see how the car handled in it's raw state, no corner weighting, no damper adjustment, no roll bar tweaking, no fecking about with Active Centre Diff. Car was really Tail happy but on the same note perfectly controllable, really enjoyable if maybe not the quickest way round. Fitten Diff controller after lunch, and First Timed run in the cars life and we have a Record in the bag, 78.46s. I'm pretty certain I would not have been capable of getting the old car round there in that time, even though it is way more familiar to me. Car was a bit understeery in turn in with the centre Diff dialed up a bit, but the power on oversteer is still there. Liking it. Second timed run wound the diff back a bit, understeer now virtually gone, and nipped another .05s off record. Car is also launching much better, which is probably attributable to a combination of things. All in all, could not have been a better day. ---john---

They do look peculiar in the pics, but trust me it looks fab in the flesh, cheers Craig

How many seats did you count in the pictures ?

I guess this weekend was always going to be a bit optomistic, here's where we are @ : Ootside for the first time X Marks the Spot Maybe I should go with it like this, save me a fortune on Bumpers Will my Bum look big in this ? P.S. The Dirty hand prints on the cage have now been cleaned off, must remind Craig about personal Hygene

Trying to

KennyS was up helping again tonight so a fair bit was acheived. Pedal box is in. Brake lines are all in save a couple of missing copper washers. Brakes are a temporary install as the Apexi is going back in for it's first event, so no need to delete the servo for the Simtek yet (though this also won't be necessary short term) Intercooler hanging on bumper, though still to be plumbed. Kill switch pull cable in there, though only 'cause I was mucking about near the end of play Wiper motor and linkage also installed.

Slow progress, would be happier if everything took less time but we are getting there, Craig was worrking at the back today, but hard to take a pic because of garage layout. John McG and I were at the front installing engine. ] Sorry for the breif description, but I'm 'Knacked' !! ---john---

Done ? what on earth are you 'doing' at that time in the morning

That's a secret too, Andy won't tell me

Garbox now rebuilt, found some new seals of the correct flavour in stock at S&S services in Ayr, with the help of a friend who works in Ayr managed to get them back here for tonight. Kenny gave me a hand again and the box is more or less complete now. Tomorrow going to fit box, new Prop etc. so that should complete the rear drivetrain. The car is booked into ProGrip on Tuesday for Allignment though it won't be running, so it will have to be pushed onto the ramp and back off again. Spoke to John today and he, as usual, is being extremely accomodating. Settings are a secret so don't ask as a boot in the b**s usually offends The only thing I'll say is we've gone for softer springs than the old car, with a different ratio front to back, and the roll bars are considerably heavier than previously and relative ratio front to back also different Then it's up to Andy do work his magic

Nearly 2 now Dougie, cheeky wee madam getting just like her mum. Hoping to have it at Kames, going to be tight though !!!! Think I'll need to compromide on a few things. ---john---

I've lost a stone is just over amonth FatBoy

Na, copper is really light he he --john--

Jeez, we agree on something

Seconded Kenny is 'the man' and will set your car up using string gauges, sounds archaic but is still the way most race cars are setup, it just takes time, patience and most of all experience, hence he won't be able to do it there and then in most instances. In fact I'll be over there this afternoon for 'other' stuff

Nae offence meant to Hypertech John, I don't have any experience of them, I think you are taking a simple analogy to seriously, Jim asked for a recomendation, I gave him my opinion, if you are offering an opinion based on your knowledge of the subject then carry on ... I'm sure Jim will weigh up the relative merits of both. Not mincing about, if I thought Duncan would do a better job for me I would go there. It's that simple. I believe I take my car to the most experienced man with the best equipment. Sorry if that is to harsh or real for you. I prefered my simple analogy ---john---