Tony P

Yes, I suppose it's that too. I switched to a half-hood a long time back and, at my age, it's easy to forget...!

Tonneau cover. (If we are thinking of the same stud.) Not a daft question at all if you are new to the Seven - there so many details you are faced with for the first time.

Ah, so it does Andrew, thank you; I should have noticed that when comparing pictures. But if that was required to get fit the VTA in, that kind of suggests that there was no need to move the drive train backwards? Perhaps then the Vegantune thing is a red herring in the history of this chassis...

More on the the aforementioned Vegantune engine… The picture is from a road test report in the long-defunct ‘Automobile Sport’ magazine, forty-odd years ago.This is the ‘VTA’ iteration with their own twin cam heads (1600, two-valve on the slightly taller 225E block) in a live-axle (obviously), long-cockpit chassis. The square-section lateral tube ahead of the engine was a feature of S3 Lotus twin-cam engined era cars, so, comparing pics of those, it doesn’t appear that the VTA required any more space at the front than a Twink (for e.g. to clear its timing gear and requiring the drive train shifting) - if, indeed, the chassis in question here had been adapted for the VTA, a possibility hinted at upthread. The magazine article also reckons that the VTA was available “in sizes from 997cc to 1600cc”. I’ve never seen or heard of the smaller version in a Seven - or anywhere else. I do recall, way back when, meeting a handful of young owner-builders who had fitted 1300cc Xflows as it had made insurance more attainable, with plans to upgrade in the future. I suppose a one-litre, belt-driven twin-cam might have been an attractive proposition?

All of the replacement/spare arb balls I’ve had in the past have already been machined around the circumference to relieve the moulding ‘seam’. Is that no longer done? I don’t think they are anything special though: aren’t they just the off-the-shelf drilled-and-tapped balls used on the handles and levers of machine tools?

From memory, the Vegantune engine was a short-lived option to replace the no-longer-available Lotus Twin-cam (but based on the same engine architecture - and, I assume, the same block casting?). I don’t remember ever seeing one (at least not a close inspection) but I’d have thought any differences in dimensions (i.e.length) were down to ancillaries or bellhousing etc, or a different gearbox rather than the engine having been moved back, especially as you say there is no space for an engine to have been any further forward. EDIT: Ah… according to ‘Coulter’ (a reliable Seven ‘bible') there were three versions of Vegantune engine used: 1) their version of the Lotus Twin-cam (essentially the same spec) 2) a similar unit built on the taller 225E block (resulting in an extra 40cc) 3) the VTA, also on the 225E block, but with belt-driven cams like the BD Though that doesn't help much - - not immediately clear to me what differences in the chassis that would require - Bruce would surely be the best source for info on that… It seems the Vegantune-built engine was done for first by a lack of the original blocks, hence the switch to the 225E, then Lotus running out of Twin-cam heads. As an aside, early problems with (and subsequent unavailability of) the Vegantune engine prompted development of the twin-carb Kent (‘crossflow’) engines - the Supersprint version leading in turn to the enlarged 1700 version of Cosworth’s 1600 kit engine, the BDR. Neither ‘Coulter’ nor ‘Weale’ appear to suggest what, if any, drivetrain mounting changes were required. So… sorry, no help there, but hope the background might be of interest.

I've found these folks good to deal with: prompt service and sensible delivery charges: https://www.vehiclewiringproducts.co.uk

I have half of this problem... Mechanical speedo, driven from gearbox; speedometer works, odometer and trip don't. I'm assuming (for now) that this is a problem with the instrument. Has anyone had, or solved, this problem?

Not sure if this helps, but… I have the 158-page spiral-bound, illustrated “De Dion Parts Catalogue”. I can’t find an issue date in it, though fairly sure it was late 20th Century, and some parts are specified for cars ’96 and on. The only 14” wheel shown is the Minilite/Minator/Supalite style, in one - unspecified - width (presumably 6"?). It’s indicated to be ‘standard’ for the XFlow Supersprint (and for Rover 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 cars though ‘optional’ for VVC and VX cars) with all the other wheels, including 13”, being ‘options’ for the Supersprint There is no mention of the earlier KN alloy (not K&N!) with the polished front face to the spokes, which I think may have come in both 13” and 14”. (The ‘latest’ wheel shown is the 13” 5-spoke split rim which appeared on the Superlight R.)

More generally: I’ve seen friction welding in connection with an Engineering business I did some design work for. It was a rather specialized and precisely controlled procedure - but that was making propshafts for huge marine engines and the hydraulic shafts on earth-moving and mining equipment. It never occurred to me that it would be practical (or economically viable) to use (successfully) down at the scale of making a few gearboxes for fairly obscure sportscars. And maybe it isn’t? Or is this now a widely used process?

If you wanted to go the Toyo route, try Adams & Page in High Wycombe. In the past I've found them very good (often the best) on price and on service too (and they know how to take good care of your wheels). I

Fuel vapour can eventually permeate most hoses. Even the fancy Goodridge braided - and presumably other 'aeroquip' style stuff - is not approved by the maker for passing through the cabin of a closed car (they have a special, even-more-expensive line for that!). I've no idea if the advent of E10 makes this more, or less, of a problem; but given other warnings I'm guessing the former is possible.

I’ve had one of those rubber (or whatever it is) gaskets disintegrate completely (does it melt in the fumes, I wonder?) and leave sticky black blobs in the tank, which are a pain to remove. Won’t be using one of those again. I prefer a cork/nitrile composite one, or just one made from that hard pinkish compressed paper stuff used for pump gaskets and the like (it’s good enough for the sealing washers on carburettor banjos, so it should be plenty good enough for the sender).

When I've fitted these in the past, they were supplied in two sizes - the smaller ones fitting the forward bushes of the rear radius arms and the forward bushes of the upper front wishbones. The implication here, surely, is that you fit them everywhere.

And very generous with your time and expertise...