Documenting my Build with a YouTube Video

[Purplemeanie]

Hi All,

  I thought this one would be better in TechTalk rather than ChitChat as its slightly more technical. I just uploaded a bit of a longer video to YouTube this morning, documenting the build of my 420R nearly 3 years ago.

I'd always planned to do this video, but for the usual many reasons it only got a few hours here and a few hours there since finishing the build in December 2017. But I've just had a week off work and with the weather a bit crap I decided to give it a final push over the line. I have no idea how many hours it took to edit the video but its probably well over 50 and might be closer to 100... bonkers, I know!

The video is a bit rough in places, but I wanted to get something out as I hope its a useful addition to my (and others) blog.

Below is the text from the YouTube description... note: when you're in YouTube now, you can click on chapter markers to jump you to wherever you want to go in the video... my favorite bit is the trip to the IVA at the end of the video when I'm leaning out of the car to see through the rain after the wiper fuse blew as I left the house! :-)

I hope its a useful resource and of course I'd appreciate feedback, especially if I've made any glaring mistakes.

Here's the link...

John

And here's the text from the YouTube description that includes the chapter minute:second timings,, but you can find that on YouTube too!

Almost 3 years after turning on the first GoPro to film our Caterham 420R Kit Car build, I finally got around to creating this video...

 

This video is a recap of the major points of our build and is in no way representative of everyone's experience - every Caterham and every build is different!

 

It has taken many many hours of editing to get this video into the shape you see here. The audio is a bit janky in places and there are too many jump cuts in the pieces of me to camera... but after 3 years I decided I just had to get something published.

 

Hopefully it's of some use to anyone building, or looking to build, a Caterham. 

 

[ Bonus points for anyone who can count the number of "in the ends", "at the end of the days" and "measure twice, cut onces" :-) ]

 

Finally, yes.. I know sessions 24 and 32 a missing - I forgot to roll the cameras for some reason.

 

00:00 Intro
03:20 Arrival
04:20 Session 1: IVA Trim and Steering Rack
04:57 Session 2: Body Protection & Gearbox, Bellhousing, Engine
05:31 Session 3: Harness Tapping *
05:41 Session 4: Front Suspension 
05:59 Session 5: Front Suspension & Headlights
06:35 Session 6: Headlights & Front Suspension
07:44 Session 7: Uprights
08:13 Session 8: Brake Pipes, Front ARB & Dinitrol
08:33 Session 9: Horns and Final Front ARB Fit
08:57 Session 10: Engine Mounts, L-Hose & Hoist Extensions
09:35 Session 11: Engine In
10:53 Session 12: Attempted Gearbox Shift & Electrics
11:59 Session 13: Exhaust Headers, Cat & Lambda Probe
12:49 Session 14: Steering Column & Oil Tank
13:43 Session 15: Odds & Ends, Radiator & Heater Unit
14:17 Session 16: Roll Over Bar, Engine Plumbing & Bonnet Test
14:48 Session 17: Engine Plumbing
15:43 Session 18: Prop Shaft & Differential
16:22 Session 19: Handbrake Cable, Diff Oil & De-dion Tube
17:16 Session 20: Handbrake, De-dion, Rear ARB & Radius Arms
18:03 Session 21: A-Frame, Rear Hubs, Brake Pipes & Wheels
18:55 Session 22: Knee Trim & Carpets
20:13 Session 23: Carpets & Seats
20:43 Session 25: Engine Stqrt
22:01 Session 26: Water Bleeding
22:11 Session 27:  More Water Bleeding
22:39 Session 28: Boot Floor, Fuel Filler & Carpets
23:39 Session 29: Fuel Filler, Torque Rear & Rear Wings
25:11 Session 30: Washer Bottle
25:42 Session 31: Rear Brake Hose, Rear Lights & Indicators
25:58 Session 33: Front Wings, Lights, Handbrake
26:59 Session 34: Brake and Clutch Fill & Front Wings
27:54 Session 35: Front Wings, Handbrake Cable & Tidy-ups
28:26 Session 36: Repeaters, IVA Mirrors, Wipers and Rear Hubs
29:38 Session 37: Getting Ready for PBC
30:44 Post Build Check
31:25 Individual Vehicle Approval
32:41 Conclusion

[David White]

Great stuff and well done for finishing the video. Your blog was a great help in my own build.

All the best,

David

[Purplemeanie]

[ REPEAT ... Grr! ]

[Purplemeanie]

David,

  thanks for the comment and for the appreciation of my blog - I very rarely get anyone on here comment about it. Makes me wonder if it was worth it sometimes!

  I hadn't seen your blog before, shame on me. But looks great... and I love the book!

  I'll add your blog to my list on my website.

John

[Piers300]

Really enjoyed that. Well done.

 

Piers

[David White]

Thanks John. Also enjoying your piece on opening up the ECU and getting the Caterham to talk to you - not that I understand much of the technical bits!

David

[Purplemeanie]

David, are you talking about the ECU blog stuff or the article in Lowflying last month and this? I tried really hard to make the Low flying articles accessible, but even if I didn't quite manage that, at least its out there now for others to follow in our footsteps.

Thanks Piers, glad you enjoyed it.

[Tuck2020]

I haven't seen the video footage yet, but have really enjoyed your blog, long before I had a car. I particularly enjoyed the gathering of the tools and he links to Amazon etc. I'm really looking forward to the video.

 

Your efforts are appreciated, well done. A brilliant achievement, building a car like that too.

[David White]

#7.
John, The ECU blog stuff was very interesting but challenging. The Lowflying article is indeed more accessible. Very well done!

David

[Shortshift]

Excellent!  I really enjoyed that and think it's a wonderful resource as well as a good watch.  Well done!

By the way - you mentioned a 2 into 1 folding creeper.  Can you say what brand and model?

Thanks

James

[Purplemeanie]

#9

David, just finished binge reading your blog. Hugely enjoyed it! Well done and thank you for taking the time to do it!

And thanks for hitting the like button and commenting on the video. It really helps to tell the YouTube algorithm that other people should get the video suggested to them.

#10

James, thanks. You can find all the tools I used on my rather lengthy blog post in the next link (you can click on the pictures of the tools to take you to Amazon) - 

https://www.purplemeanie.co.uk/index.php/2018/07/01/caterham-420r-build-tools-and-trinkets/

After posting that link I always say this for full disclosure... the links are through the Amazon affiliate program, so in theory I get a kickback on any purchases made. I didn't do the program for that reason, it was just to get a way of being able to link reliably to Amazon. And just for S&G  I can tell everyone that the affiliate links earnt me £6.95 in the last 6 months, with 5 purchases made through the links. Two of which were the folding creepers! :-)

But a quick link to the creeper I used is here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00EIGM5ZA/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&linkCode=li1&tag=purplemeanie-21&linkId=743d3ba4b39f6b886e379a7ef09c46ae

They seem to be out of stock at the moment though :-(

John

[Shortshift]

Thank you John - I did, in fact, recall that you had a page of tools and so on as part of your blog so I backtracked to find it.  As you say, out of stock for now (but I'll look for others).

Thanks!

James

[Purplemeanie]

David, if you don't mind me asking... what sort of traffic do you get to your blog? It might interest other people thinking about blogging their experience to know how many people actually read what they've written...

I can offer the numbers from my blog which are a very modest, just shy of 60,000 views now. And just over 11,000 visitors. Both are all time figures for the 3+ years of running the blog. I'm sure other blogs must have much higher numbers.

Perhaps that's worth a dedicated thread on ChitChat ?? I could give all the page stats if people are interested... might indicate what subjects people most have trouble with :-)

John

[David White]

Hi John,

My stats are nowhere close to as impressive as yours! - 5,430 views from 501 visitors since publishing the blog in October 2019.  I had written up most of the entries before plucking up courage to let the world in on my ramblings!

For the benefit of others, it may be worth having a Blog directory somewhere here.  I tried to identify as many as I could and referenced in my blog -  https://cat310s.wordpress.com/2019/09/29/reference-material/ - but I'm certain there are more out there waiting to be enjoyed.

David

[Purplemeanie]

Thanks David that's interesting. Mine are working out at about 20,000 views a year, so we're very comparable I think.

I suspect Daniel French has many more views but it would be interesting to see what others have done.

I think a list of blogs somewhere on this site would be a great resource. 

I took a look at the page breakdowns of my site and it seems the most popular post of mine is on the engine cooling system and the animation I did. i was thinking of doing a YouTube video on the subject, especially as Mark (CtrMint)'s topic on 620 cooling has caused so much discussion. But interesting that its been a common theme for my site too, hmmm.

For everyone's delectation, here's the all time stats on the top 30 pages on my site...

I think Wordpress skews the stats somewhat, but also interesting that the Gallery is high up there. Hardly anyone reads my stuff about the ECU - not surprising! :-)

 

John

[andy_harries]

@purplemeanie

Haven't come across your blog before, but its brilliant.  Very helpful and clear, definitely worth the time you put in!

[David White]

Hi John,

Forgot to thank you for your kind comments at #11. As I say in the blog, it was very much for my own satisfaction and to provide a lasting memory but I'm pleased others enjoy reading it.

Kind regards

David

[Doctor]

John, your blog is superb - read it in one go. 

[Purplemeanie]

#8 Tuck2020... glad you enjoyed the blog and hope you enjoyed the video.

#17 David... no problem and I agree. I had no idea if anyone would read my ramblings but it was a great way of documenting the build and makes me chuckle when I read it again. As time goes by it will become less and less relevant to others, bit it'll still make ME laugh!

#18 Doctor... wow! Thanks! I'll have to get some badges made up for those that survived the whole experience, and then perhaps a gold one for anyone reading it in one go! :-)

John

[Doctor]