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KPE rides again!


Unclefester

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AT LAST my xflow, the notorious "KPE", the car which crushed the Rover engined Caterham works team in the 1993 Performance Car Caterham Seven Trophy class C, in the hands of Jack Newland of ArrowStar 'fame', lives again.

 

This car has been off the road since summer 2006, when the wetsump hit a low kerb and was in contact with the crankshaft.

 

I procured a secondhand drysump system from a certain person on here, but found it lacked several vital bits, and what with this dire setback, the car has never driven since.

 

I nearly got it running last summer, but a huumungous oil leak from the Holbay DS pump finally did my head in and I put the whole KPE project into the boxroom of my mind, where it's been gathering dust since.

 

NOW, however, under the new "Drastic Measures" regime, the car is finally oiltight and running!!!!! *eek*

 

I had so much difficulty getting the damned DS pump to fit, which involved lifting the engine up, or was it lowering the wretched thing, and difficulties with replacing the engine mount bolts, that I though "enough of this tomfoolery, where's the air hacksaw....that bloody chassis tube is history!"

 

This diagonal tube is now removeable, which makes everything 500% easier.(at least)

 

My only problem now is the indicators aren't working and I can't remember where the flasher unit hides.

 

Does anyone know? (1990 deDion Xflow)

 

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds..ooooh hooo hooo!!...

😬 😬Abbey Road Time-Machine *eek* *eek*

 

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Thanks geezers, will check this one out with all due thoroughness.

 

Are they the rectangular type normally? I surely didn't see any cylindrical shaped things when I poked me 'ed under a few hours ago!

 

This whole affair is becoming horribly worrying and complicated as my idea was frankly to cut my losses and sell KPE, but the wife has gone all strange and refuses to hear of it, she wants to sell her own practical convertible and "have KPE for myself....." *eek*

 

I said it would necessitate a full FIA cage, new seats, a full repaint in Lime Green, new 14" wheels etc etc etc and she said yeah? And?

 

God help us all........

 

What's more Weetabix, our 12 months old Breton Basset Fauve also seems to have taken an unusual liking to the damned car, keeps jumping into the drivers seat and looking expectantly up at me.

 

Sometimes you just can't win.......

 

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds..ooooh hooo hooo!!...

😬 😬Abbey Road Time-Machine *eek* *eek*

 

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Sounds like you have actually won the lottery ! Your other half is definitely a "keeper".

 

The unit is rectangular shaped jobby in the fuse box, you have the indicator unit and the hazzards. The reason for the tie-wrap is that they can come loose (and under heavy acceleration pop out) on an older car.

 

I will try an send you a photo if I get the time tomorrow.

 

Jon

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Great!

 

Thanks....I'll have a close look later today....probably just bad contacts on one of the units, but there's no sign of life from either indicators or hazards.

 

The wife is great, but I feel happier with her in something with a bit more armour.....she has a Fiat Barchetta at the moment but uses a Suby Outback Break more often.

 

She has NO CLUE about maintenance and that includes cleaning....deffo not a polisher.

 

If she keeps KPE and uses it regularly that's my leisure time burned..... *rolleyes*

 

Worse is it's still on a UK plate, and to get it on a French one will be 18 months of headbanging nightmare trying to deal with a mountain of pointless paperwork with no certainty at the end of it of actually winning the contest with the dreaded French system.

 

I don't much fancy having to take it to the UK every year for MoT and tax disc either.

 

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds..ooooh hooo hooo!!...

😬 😬Abbey Road Time-Machine *eek* *eek*

 

 

Edited by - Unclefester on 10 Apr 2009 07:53:04

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Ah the French bureaucracy... good luck... I lived in Nice for 3 years, never did get around to swapping the driving license over.

 

Here is a photo of my fusebox on my recent strip down: here

 

Let me know if it helps, or if you need more info/photos.

 

Surely the weather and the roads over there make it imperative that you get it registered.. Find a friendly mechanic and buy him lots of Pastis and Gitanes..

 

Jon

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I must be going blind. Found the relays, there's even a sticker showing what does what! I thought I recalled the relay being on the right, I think possibly it WAS, but on the twincam car I sold last summer!

 

All working fine now, possibly the plug on the back of the hazard unit was the problem.

 

Thanks for your help. *smokin*

 

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds..ooooh hooo hooo!!...

😬 😬Abbey Road Time-Machine *eek* *eek*

 

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Uncle, don't even try and register over here, it's a nightmare I wouldn't wish on my enamas!

 

Get it insured in the UK with 12 months green card (email me for details) and have a nice few days once a year getting an MOT. I'm sure I read somewhere that the UK is going bi-annual to fall in line with the rest of the EU.

 

If Cagey gives up his insanity and keeps it on UK plates we could have an annual group MOT blat. If Wile returns home that makes 4.

 

Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Reg: B16BDR, Mem No 2166, the full story here

You and your seven toThe French Blatting Company Limited

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Norm!

 

Howdy!

 

Yes, I do believe you may well be right on this. I'l watching Cagey's progress, have now given him the name of the Caterham owning Maire, though I don't see this helping, as the guy has a Cat but bought throufgh Dumas!

 

Mind you, he does also have a french registered Cobra rep, I think a BRA, so maybe he does have strings to pull.

 

I'm up for an annual UK MOT blat, by the way.

 

Does Lynn want Fran's rather nice little Fiat Barchetta?

 

I can post pix here if you are interested. New tyres, french plates, LHD, electric windows and air, full leather, Limited Edition, Lancia Delta Integrale wheels....nice motor, mate! *tongue*

 

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds..ooooh hooo hooo!!...

😬 😬Abbey Road Time-Machine *eek* *eek*

 

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Best of luck, Cagey.

 

I know Martin Madden succeeded in getting his crossflow through onto french plates via Passage par Titre Isolé, so it's certainly possible.

 

I think some of Hugh Dent's friends in Bordeaux have also done this.

 

The obvious thing to do is to get a copy of the dossier from someone who has already got the same type of car onto a french plate and simply follow the papertrail.

 

Should only take about 18 months..... *tongue*

 

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds..ooooh hooo hooo!!...

😬 😬Abbey Road Time-Machine *eek* *eek*

 

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