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700newtons

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  2. 700newtons
    We are recently back from a very good trip to the Outer Hebrides. The area offers an excellent tour for small groups of Sevens. We had excellent sunny weather, which made for a very pleasant trip.
    The Outer Hebrides are sparsely populated and parts of them feel very remote. Many times we found ourselves virtually alone on beautiful sandy white beaches. The tourist season is short, and caters mostly for cyclists and walkers. The flora and fauna is rich and varied, and the roads are pretty empty and well maintained. Overtaking is easy. Our favourite Isles were Harris and Barra.
    The restaurant prices are fairly high, but we found that the service was cheerful and the seafood is really very good.
    Here is a brief account, which maybe of use to others...
    Our first night was in the Inveraray Inn – a good stopover with cheap Sunday night dinner deals.
    The next day we drove to Oban to catch the ferry to Castlebay, Barra (at the southern end of the Hebrides). Oban is an interesting town and certainly worth a look around as you wait for the ferry. Head for the Oban Chocolate company for tasty cake and coffee (and chocolate).
    We stayed in the Barra Beach Hotel – which was comfortable, clean and friendly. It is also right next to a beautiful and isolated beach. We tried our hand at surfing on the hotels kayaks – and loved it. We also visited Barra Beach Airport – which is only used when the tide it out. They have a good cafe where you can watch the incoming aircraft whist you munch on cake and coffee. We also climbed the tallest hill, Heaval; a short but steep walk with great views.

    Next we caught the ferry from Ardmhor to Eriskay and stayed at the Polochar Inn. Polochar is a comfortable, no nonsense, type of place right on the seafront. We had good food (like everywhere we stayed). We drove to Benbecula and on the way we picked up hot smoked Salmon from Salar Smokehouse for lunch. We also took a short hike up Rueval to take in the views.
    The following day we blatted onto North Uist (via Hebridean smokehouse). We had a quick scout around the RSPB reserve and were harassed by Arctic Turn – it seems the bird population of the Western Isles is not keen on visitors. This was not an isolated event.
    We then went to a huge, beautiful and deserted beach on the North end of Berneray.

    Our next island was an unexpected highlight. The Isle of Harris is mountainous and beautiful. We headed to the east of the island after arriving at the Leverburgh ferry port (and it looked like a complicated navigation for the ferry captain from Berneray). The eastern road is also called the ‘Golden Road’. It was virtually empty and twisted and turned through the hillsides – ideal and
    for a Seven.We then did the faster Harris road (A859), and this was good too. Harris is a nice place.
    After a quick look in Gin Distillery in Tarbert (thank you for soup and toilets). We headed off to look at Scalpay bridge. This is worth doing for the excellent blatting roads and views.
    Our accommodation for the next few nights was in Seacroft, Aird Uig (we stayed in the Seapods on the cliffedge). Aird Uig must be one of the remotest places in the UK, and the site of a dilapidated radar RAF station from the cold war. The hosts were welcoming and it was a lot of fun (and great seafood). Aird Uig is beautiful place but it is slightly alternative – I loved it (although I also like Zombie films). It is good – go there.
    We then
    the Northern end of Lewis, including the Butt of Lewis and the ancient Callanish Standing Stones. It was OK, and it completed our journey, but it could not compare to what we had seen on the the other islands.We caught the ferry from Stornaway to Ullapool and stayed in Ardvreck B&B. Word got though to the local bird population that we were visiting, and they also decided to let us know their thoughts while we tucked into fish and chips (b*****ds).
    Finally on route back we decided to have a look around Skye (and stayed in Seafar). Unfortunately we missed the best of this island (due to low cloud and drizzle), but we had fun on the excellent mountain road B885 across from Portree to the western side and popped into the Talisker Distillery.
    This was probably our favourite tour of recent years (and quite a long one at 2100 miles). The excellent roads, weather, remote and beautiful scenery, great seafood and company really made it.
    Simon (and also Alice, Rob and Sally)

  3. 700newtons
    In the spring of 2017 I noticed that my turbo was making a slightly unusual noise, but I thought nothing much of it (it went away). 
    I have done five sprints this year. It was my first full year of sprinting, although I did the Curborough 8 in 2016. I thought that I did a better job as a driver, but I noticed that my times were slower. Also my speed over the finish line was about 64mph, last year it was 77mph! And come to think of it, I can't hear the waste gate 'tshh' anymore.
    The 160 is still fairly swift on the road,, but I'm clearly down on power.  I think that I just might have completed a sprint season without a turbo...
    I decided to investigate. I sprayed the bolts on the unit with Halfords 'shock and unlock'. I understand that the turbo bolts can break if you are not careful (high temperatures, rust etc). The next day I took the cover off successfully.

    The inside of the turbo looks like this
    To my untrained eye, I think that the rotation is not a free as it should be...
    Update 30 September 2017
    I have since found that the fault was a split pipe (one of the thin silicone pipes that feed into, and around, the turbo).
    Once reassembled the car was back to normal; there was a significant increase in power, and the usual turbo noise could be heard.
    The following might be useful, if anyone does have turbo problems in future.
    The part number is HT06 VZ57 18 76JB1 (made by Hitachi) A replacement turbo might take a bit of effort to find - so treat it kindly! However, I understand from other posts (Neil Allen) that a fairly high mileage can be expected before turbo problems. Turbotechnics will inspect a turbo for free and can refurbish turbos for £200-£400 within a few days. I never used them, but my local Suzuki garage recommended them (and so did The_Ash) The Suzuki Cappuccino owners club maybe a useful source of information. (Same engine and drive train as a 160). Again, thanks to Neil Allen. Power Torque supply/prepare 160 engines for Caterham. They maybe worth contacting in the event of problems.  
  4. 700newtons

    Ireland 2017

    By 700newtons,

    Our Visit to Ireland August 2017

    Rob J, Sally, Alice and I took our Sevens to South West Ireland for an enjoyable holiday. Here are some of the details of the best places to sleep, eat and blat. Hopefully it might be useful to others...
    We took Irish Ferries from Pembroke to Rosslare. We then drove 25 minutes to Kilmore Quay and stayed at the Quay House B&B. Kilmore Quay is a very pretty fishing harbour. The B&B did a good breakfast, offered friendly service and was perfectly fine. There is plenty of space for parking. We ate that evening at the Silver Fox, which is within walking distance of the B&B. The food is good, although perhaps a little expensive. Other options (like fish and chips) are available.
    The next day we then drove on to Killarney and stayed in the excellent Old Weir Lodge. This is a very comfortable place to stay, with large well furnished rooms, and offers a very good breakfast. Stay here! The B&B is within walking distance of the town and there is discrete parking around the back.
    Particular highlights of Killarney were:
    Quinlans Sea food bar – we loved this (great crab claws!).
    Killarney Brewery – 200 yards from the Old Weir Lodge (good real ales and pizza – we liked the stout).
    Cronins – pretty good food here.
    There is a pub across the road and along from the Old Weir Lodge – it was OK but you could do better.
     
    We stayed in Killarney for 4 nights and went for excellent blats around the surrounding area.
    The book ‘Back Roads of Ireland’ gives excellent driving routes and the recommendations for food and bars seem reliable. We enjoyed driving Ballaghbeama Gap (below), Molls Gap, Tim Healy Pass, Valentia Island, Pass of Caherconree, Connor Pass – all worth going over (and many more).

    If you do the Ring of Kerry (best clockwise – to avoid the trail of tour buses), then a great place for lunch is O’Neills The Point. You can watch the ferry shuttle back and forth as you have your meal. Also look out for Skellig Michael – the island used in Star Wars, The Force Awakens.
    The roads are narrow and there is some traffic, and so overtaking can be ‘sporting’. Some of the roads are also rough. Both our cars grounded out a few times – we have lowered floors. If your car is very low then you should consider doing something to protect it.
    We then moved onto Galway and stayed in the Nest Boutique Hostel. This is clean, chic and very friendly. However, it is not posh. If you are not a fan of youth hostels, then this is perhaps not for you. However, we quite liked it, and it is near the centre. Parking is limited, but they kindly reserved a space for us. The Sevens caused a huge reaction wherever we went – they aren’t common in Ireland.
    The best food of our trip was Kai in Galway (within walking distance of the Nest). This is certainly worth a visit. We had an excellent lunch and evening meal.
    We took the Sevens out and drove sections of the Wild Atlantic Way, which is well sign posted. The weather was variable but it didn’t really matter. We also took a detour to Father Ted’s House.
    Should you go to Dingle, then Ashes Bar does pretty good grub. A visit to Roundstone is well worth a visit for the views. O’Dowds Seafood Bar won’t let you down with excellent seafood.
    South West Ireland is an excellent destination for a driving holiday. The roads can be rough and bumpy and you need to keep your wits about you. The food is excellent, and the scenery is wonderful, less so the weather. Petrol stations are frequent (you won’t need a jerry can). There was a lot of interest in our cars, but we had no problems with security.
    We hope that this is useful!
    Simon
    (700Newtons)

  5. 700newtons

    Scotland Tour

    By 700newtons,

    We have just come back from a lovely Scottish trip. My 160, in its infancy, has now travelled the complete length of the UK.
    With many thanks to Rob and Sally (planning and patience respectively) and also thanks for the advice we received from L7 members from the North – John and Nigel. We had a great time.

    Our tour started at the Invergary Hotel . This is a comfortable friendly hotel, and also won our tour award for best breakfasts. We decided to pack light, and this did involve some negotiations. After much deliberation we left my wife’s gym weights, although the hairdryer was deemed essential. North West Scotland has rather well spaced out fuel stations, and so we took extra fuel cans just in case. My 160 has a range of over 300 miles, and so this turned out to be unnecessary, but gas guzzlers could run into problems.
    Our first trip was over the famous Applecross pass to the Applecross Inn. We were blessed with a clear day with excellent views, although keeping up with Rob and Sally made it rather a blur. We then progressed swiftly along single track roads to Ullapool – a scenic coastal route through very remote land. The Caterhams are perfect for this terrain; swift to accelerate, and excellent through the bends.
    In Ullapool we stayed in Ardvreck House. This was a recommendation from some sea kayaking chums, and we had a warm welcome. We had superb views over Loch Broom. We were armed with chemical defences against the Scottish midge – ‘Avon So Soft’ was recommended by my ex military friend.
    From Ullapool we had excursions to the Summer Isles Hotel (for a very posh meal), a boat trip, and Alice and I took a hike to Scoraig. This little village is only assessable by boat or 8km costal footpath. We left the Seven in the middle of nowhere and got our walking boots on.

    After a few days we continued north via Lockinver (and the Lockinver Larder) and onto the Eddracilles Hotel. This turned out to be one of our favourite stays. Excellent views, food and whiskey. We took a day to blat along the north coast and went to Cape Wrath for a ferry trip and a bumpy minibus ride to the pointy North West tip of Scotland. Soon after my half hood was fully tested in a thunder storm (and worked), although I wondered if a roll bar would be an effective faraday cage.
    Handa Island was also worth a visit. If you go before mid July you can see Puffins. Keen drivers can also try the Fanagmore Ring – our invention, but don’t bother.
    We then ploughed on along the superb A838 past Loch Shin to Aviemore (although to be honest most Scottish roads are excellent in a Seven). We stayed in the youth hostel – don’t do this. Then, after a short hike, we set off to complete our trip to Invergary. Oh yes, and we stopped at the Dalwhinnie distillery.

    The 160 completed the trip faultlessly. I managed to keep pace with Rob’s academy car, and even with spirited driving the fuel economy was remarkably good. Scotland is a great place to take a Seven.
     
  7. 700newtons
    Maybe the best orange car in the world...
    I collected the car today from Crawley (with the help of Rob J) and drove it back to Somerset via family in Newbury. We avoided main roads and had a great blast along A roads.
    It is fantastic, and better than I imagined. The 160 is a lovely car.
    The car handles very well, and has quite a bit more 'poke' than expected. My intentions to run the car in gently with low revs were not always stuck to. Overtaking on A roads was not much of a problem.
    Interesting reactions from folks too. A few thumbs up, a few challenges to go faster (but declined).
    It took a while to get used to the (rather) limited visibility behind (I need to do a bit of work on my mirrors). I also had a few little anoyances like the key fob got in the way when using the clutch.
    The IVA
    It took two attempts to get through the IVA (but nothing to do with my build skills, I hasten to add). Fortuntely I paid caterham to get it through, and this turned out to be a good move. The hassle would have been considerable.
    Registration
    This took 2 weeks. The DVLA returned my built up vehicle report for some extra details, and this slowed down, but when I rang them they were willing to help rush it through.
  8. 700newtons
    I ordered my 160 in April 2014. Here is my blog. I hope it maybe useful and interesting to others.
    Caterham 160  Expected delivery November 2014.
    Full Screen and weather equipment, carpets, lowered floors, push button start, leather seats, Momo steering wheel, heater, Race 4pt harness, Track day roll bar.
    Ballistic orange
    The lowered floor provides the driver with a clearer view and the 4pt harness and track day roll bar are for improved safety. I understand that access the Lotus 7 club track days is only possible with a track day roll bar too.
    Why did I go for a 160? I definitely wanted to build my own car, I was impressed with my test drive, reviews and friends were very positive about it, there are significant savings over a Roadsport and it can be driven to capacity at road legal speeds.
    Tools and Equipment (so far!)
    Strongman Tools
    Trolley jack and axle stands (discount with L7club membership)
    Halfords
    Socket set, prof torque wrench 8-60Nm, prof torque wrench 60-300Nm. Birzman deadblow hammer
    Maplin
    Garage alarm
  9. 700newtons
    I thought that I would finish off my build blog with a summary of things I would do differently. To be honest there was not too much.

    Car spec...
    Full hood? - I never installed the hood sticks and therefore won't use it (I will use my half hood). If I did it again I may try to negotiate with Caterham to get a half hood instead.
    I have no regrets about my lowered floor, mono steering wheel and leather seats.
    The FIA roll bar was probably a bit over the top, but I like it (it makes a full hood a very tight fit)
    Carpets - I fitted carpets in the boot but didn't fancy them for the cockpit. (I would say don't bother).
    12V Socket - I fitted my own (it only cost a few quid, and is fairly easy to do)

    Tools in the manual that were not needed...
    Circlip pliers which went unused
    Crimping tool - used once and could manage without
    (A good deadblow hammer was a very handy tool occasionally)
    Low profile Jack - I bought a rather heavy duty Jack. A low level one would have been much better.

    Other thoughts...
    Bonding wings - I bolted my wings. Some folks bond them - I could see the advantages.
    Administration - takes more time than you think. Getting Caterham to do the IVA cost £425 (in addition to the IVA cost) but saved a lot of hassle. They do any retest for free.

    More care...
    Radiator bobbins - don't torque them up to much they break.
    Ecu bolts - so do these.
    Brake fluid - is nasty and ruins paint. Don't let it splash.

    Discoveries...
    Fancy plates (online) - is a good place to get cheap number plates (and you don't need documentation)

    Soft bits for sevens - the half hood, shower cap and tunnel bag seem very good investments (L7 discount, but buy early, they get busy later in the season)

    Premier paint guard protection - I paid them to do my rear wings as there was no template. However, next time I would have a go fitting the plastic myself.


  10. 700newtons
    I fitted my sill protectors after wrestling in the knee trim panels today. (I got the holes in the knee trim panels to align by using a screw driver as a lever). I note that I had 7 screws but 8 holes for the knee panels. However, the front-most hole is not visible and doesn't seem to serve much function.
    I cut Vs in the curved section as it suggested in the manual.

    Riveting was quite fun. However, my technique was perhaps a bit crap and in managed to scatch the powder coat. After that, I surrounded the rivets with masking tape, while fixing them, to reduce damage.

    Having finished the side trim I slotted in the tunnel top. Getting it over the handbrake required a lot of swearing and persuasion. The handbrake really does have to be very high up (you would have no chance if the handbrake was set up normally).
    Although I have bought carpets, I have decided to fit them solely in the boot for the time being.
    After sorting the interior trim I set about getting the correct torque on the rear suspension. I moved the axle stands onto the ends of the live axle and loaded the car with about 80kg of water in plastic Jerry cans (unwittingly sponsored by my school DofE department). I understand that it is important that the car is loaded before torquing the bolts.

    The next job is bleeding the brakes and rear mudguards...
  11. 700newtons
    I put the diff into the axle casing this evening.

    It took me a while to figure out which was the correct way around. It was a tight fit and involved use of the rubber deadblow hammer and swearing. I was about to give up, but then I tried turning the prop connection back and forth and it suddenly dropped in.
    I was advised by a friend to use about a 2mm strip of gasket sealant (Black RTV). I used Granville but I understand Caterham use the Wynn brand for their factory builds.
    PeterM mentioned that a dry run could cause problem. He was right; it is a good idea to get a rough idea and line it up, but if you slotted it in place, getting it apart again might cause stress.
    I also attached the breather spigot. It seemed rather loose. I cut two slots about a 2mm apart on either side of the spigot and bent them into the groove with a hammer and nail. This seems to let the spigot move freely but prevents it falling off.
     
    *NB I am not an expert - read my later blogs to see if I cocked it up.
     
     
     
  12. 700newtons
    I asked Dave from Premier Paint Guard to install a protective covering on my rear wings (and he now has a template for the 160).

    As soon as that was completed Rob and Sally J came over to help trailer the car to Crawley for the PBC.

    Unfortunately the car had to go off with one or two issues (it won't start due to some unknown electrical fault and a problem with the brakes but other than that perfect  ). 

    I have asked Caterham to get it through the IVA. I really look forward to getting it back!
  13. 700newtons

    Engine prep

    By 700newtons,

    I worked on the engine bay today. Horns and washer bottle in; no problems. I also stuck cardboard all around in an attempt to reduce the chance of damage as the engine is lowered

    I got rather confused when putting in the rubber engine mounts. There are four bolts; 3 are 45mm long, one is 50mm - I couldn't see why. However, I think the the engine earth connection is supposed to go here.
    (edit 11th December - no, Earth lead cannot go here, it would rest on the exhaust and here is an obvious earth connection next to the battery. Maybe this is where the Earth Connection goes on older models.)
    I also rang up Dave at premier paintguard. He is going to cut plastic film protection for the rear mudguards. I going to have a go at fixing them myself (with the kit he supplies). I hope I don't regret going DIY...
    It took a while to get my head around the starter motor wiring.

    It took me a while to notice the socket (with red and white wire) from the engine block that clips into the bottom of the solenoid.
    I checked if the gearbox had any oil inside. I chocked the engine to level it , and then removed the side plug. I put an Allen key through the hole and rotated it to check the oil level. It seems that the level is low and will need topping up.
    I should get the engine in tomorrow.
     
     
  14. 700newtons

    Dampers

    By 700newtons,

    I put in the front dampers today and caught up on the RHS.
    I also torqued up the bolts specified in the instructions. However, the top damper bolt was inaccessible for the torque wrench (and my ingenuity) so I did my best guess at 20Nm after practising with the torque wrench.
    After setting bolts to the correct tension I gave them a dab of tippex (to reduce OCD paranoia at the end).

    I wanted to put upright attachments in today. However, I think I'm missing a 1/2" nyloc nut that should be on the bottom of the upright. I'll contact Caterham tomorrow.
  15. 700newtons
    I made a start on the weather gear today.
    Caterham provided a full hood with the kit. However, I plan to use a half hood instead. I have an larger uprated roll bar and the full hood looks an unlikey fit (but possible, I understand, from reading the forums). I have decided not to install the hood sticks and the full hood car stay in the box. In retrospect I should have asked Caterham to supply a half hood instead of the full hood ( I don't know if they do this)
    It took me a while to get the boot cover sorted (measure twice and cut once etc). I found that fairly gentle taps are best when using the durable dot tool.

    I also secured the rubber mats in the footwell. I found it best to rivet the poppers with the flat rivet side underneath. I avoided placing the poppers in the way of the seat position lever.
  16. 700newtons
    I put the seats and harnesses in today. All fairly straight forward (after Derek put me on the right track after I tried to use the bottom 6pt harness eyelets by mistake). For the four point harness lap belts, the threaded holes on the sides are used, and I used the most forward hole.

    The seats are Ok but you need to be a bit of a contortionist to get an Allen key to the back bolts.
    I then set about sorting the boot carpet. I decided against using carpet in the passenger area after reading a few other blogs (it gets wet, smells, etc). However, I may consider putting it in at a later date (perhaps if the interior gets scruffy). I used Draper spay adhesive, and all the various triangles went in OK. Before sticking the carpet in I made a copy of the template. I might consider chopping up an old carry mat to provide a bit more padding in the boot area.
    I tried to solve my non-starting problem by taking out a spark plug at taking a look. I'm pretty sure that no fuel is getting in.
    I also managed to look at my strange ignition wiring. I think that the start button is simply wired in series with the output from the key barrel. This will be on my snagging list for the post build check.
  17. 700newtons

    Gearbox

    By 700newtons,

    I decided to make a start on the gearbox. (I can't finish the front suspension until I get a couple of 1/2" nuts).
    The components seem to fit well, and I had few problems. The only thing that confused me was the 4 fixings that attach the gearbox to the engine. The top two fixings are 10M X 50mm bolts, the bottom two fixings are a shaft with 10mm threads at either end and a bolt to lock it off. Derek at Caterham was helpful.

    I also took the time to give the area between the body and the fuel tank a good spray with Dimitrol to reduce corrosion. To get access I temporarily removed the boot floor.
  18. 700newtons
    I completed filling the diff today (I had to ask Caterham for extra oil).
    They supplied comma EP80W-90 GL5 Mineral oil. I needed a full 2L before the diff was at the right level (more than the instructions suggest). I found a pipe and funnel seemed to work very slowly but effectively. I just got on with other jobs and occasionally filled up the funnel.

    I also sorted out my floppy clutch problem with a wire clamp sent on by Caterham. This isn't mentioned in the August 2014 manual but is in the Jan 3014 one. The clamp fits on the other side of the clutch fork. (See photo)

    I was a bit worried about spring washers that should go on the engine mount bolts (thanks Martin) that were not mentioned in the build manual. I really didn't fancy hoisting the engine again and westling to get the bolts back - potential for disaster here. I rang Derek, and Caterham will sort this free of charge at the post build check (and I think that this is fair enough).
    I also sorted out the rear lights - no problems here. I just took me a while to realise that the rubber grommet goes on the bodywork hole, not the rear wing hole. I also bust about 4 fuses testing the lights until I realised that the lose number plate wiring was shorting to the bodywork.  .if you are building a 160 don't forget to connect the short fuel tank earth wire to one of the wing bolts (RHS).
    Another small success was removing the 12V socket connector under the scuttle (black, purple/red wires) and replacing it with a socket that I bought from ebay. I went on a caving trip, head down, in the footwell and gently levered out the pins with a small screwdriver. The pins fit neatly into my new socket.... sorted... I bought a 12V waterproof socket from ebay that should fit neatly into the 3cm diameter hole in the fuse box cover (hopefully).
    Tomorrow I'll finish sorting out the seats. I also need to finishing bleeding the brakes (rather spongy) and solve my engine non starting problem.
  19. 700newtons
    I recieved my gear and diff oils from Caterham this week.
    They supply different oils to the shell oils specified in the build manual (maybe they, like me, found those oils impossible to source in small quantities ?!?)
    The gear oil supplied is Comma SX75W-90 GL5. The manual says about 1.2L is needed, but I put in about 1.7L before oil dripped out of the side level plug.
    Access to the side level plug is a bit of an ask; space is restricted. However, my homemade tool worked nicely. I just cut down a 3/8" square piece of steel to about 1.5cm (thanks ebay) and turned it with a ring spanner.

    (I might go on Dragon's Den with this)
    I tried a fancy method using a syphon to get the oil in. However, it was a bit rubbish. In the end it was better just to point the container upside down, with the pipe inserted in the hole, and puncture the top with a pin.
    Once the oils were in I completed the plumbing above the drain plug and plugged in the fuel pipe. (NB I swapped this over the the RH side of the tunnel - thanks for the warning Peter).
    I have now started to make the connectors for the headlamps ahead of plumbing in the radiator (again). The wiring colours don't seem to exactly match the instructions. I may connect the battery tomorrow to test them...
    Edit: actually the headlamp colour mostly do match. The only exception is the side light wire from the loom is red/black on the LHS and red/white on the RHS (not red as stated in the 8/2014 manual)
  20. 700newtons
    I made a start on the cycle wings this evening. It took me all evening to drill 4 holes... I was a bit nervous about cocking it up.
    The majority of (smart) advice seems to advocate bonding the cycle wings. However, I had over zealously put stoneguard on mine and I didn't want risk sanding it off and causing damage. I also prefer the idea of bolting rather than bonding.
    The instructions are clear and I followed them very carefully. The cycle wings were supposed to come with markings for the bolt holes. However, this was not the case and I had to ask. I understand that the position is very important for the IVA. The front holes are 3 inches from the front*.

    I drilled through tape to protect the gel coating. I found that using small pilot holes and then a fast speed for the bigger holes seemed to work well. I have covered the green repeater wire with 5mm heat shrink bought from ebay. (Edit - I have since found out the slow speeds are better for fibreglass - oops)
    The wingstays require a bit of patience to get through (big 6mm holes).
    I finished the right hand cycle wingstays this evening and made a start on the left. I'm pleased that it all lined up; this was the phase that I was slightly nervous about.

    *NB Be wary of following my advice... The car has not been through the IVA yet.
  21. 700newtons
    I managed to get the rear suspension in today with help from Rob J.

    The instructions are clear and we had few problems. 
    (NB there is a sleeve that clealy fits into the top of the radius arms and the fixing of one end of panhard rod was not mentioned but obvious).

    getting the the half shaft in place required a few 'gentle taps' from tool no 1.

    Tomorrow's task is to fit the speed sensor and handbrake. I also need to get the cycle wings sorted (they are just taped on at the moment)
     
     
     
  22. 700newtons
    After seeing some of the 160 photos I decided I wasn't quite happy with my headlamp wiring. So I redid them. I cut a small hole in the black cable sheath, and inserted the indicator wires. I'm told by the fellows at Caterham, that an alternative is to use tape to cover bare wires.

    You can see my wheels in the background. They arrived yesterday along with my back axle casing. However, I still need to get hold of the gear and diff oils. The specified oils are only sold in large quantities, so I need them from Caterham.
  23. 700newtons
    Fitted the compressor outlet for the turbo today (below). This was a fairly straightforward task.

    I then set about with the steering. This looked straightforward but gave me some trouble.
    Connecting the universal joint was not much problem (but I think there is a typo in the instructions - it says bolt 6 and nut 1. I think it should say bolt 2 and nut 5)
    You need to be careful with the upper steering column. The plastic on the lower bush came free and it took me a while to get it back. It was also quite a tight fit with the lower steering column and not much to grip on to.
    Useful things to know
    If you have a momo wheel, the orientation of the upper steering column is important. Before you start bolting things up make sure that the wheel is the way you want it when the road wheels are straight. if you have a Momo wheel, the upper steering rubber bush needs to be inserted (and located with the nobbles in the side holes) before the upper steering column goes in. (The instructions do say this, but I missed it) my next job is to westle a bit more with the anti roll bar and start work on the cooling system.
  24. 700newtons
    I added the intercooler today. No big issues but it is an easier job if you get some of the hoses in place first (there is not a lot of space).

    That is all the progress I can make for the time being. I'll start work again once I get the back axle casing from Caterham. (I understand they are on their way from Japan).
  25. 700newtons
    A good friend, Rob, helped with the heater plumbing yesterday. No issues encountered although he did adjust the lengths of pipe to enable the valve to fit snugly between the heater case and the battery.
    (edit 10th Jan. I accidentally put the internal vent plate for the heater the wrong way up. The 'ears' should point downwards to direct warm air into the footwell. Thanks PeterM for commenting)

    He also suggested a pipe connected to the hole in the top of the battery (see photo) apparently these batteries are unsealed an can cause unsightly marks inside the engine bay. This pipe is just cable tied down to the gear box mounting.
    Today I fitted the handbrake mechanism to the chassis. There are two connection points (but one lead). Caterham tell me that the correct connection is the upper one (it is for the handbrake warning light).
    I also went back and removed the headlight bracket and fitted the correct grommets (which were missing from the original pack). I thought that this might be troublesome. However, I used a trolley jack to raise each suspension arm and undo the front bolt for the upper wishbone. It wasn't as tricky as I thought.
     
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