grover

Having just failed an MOT I need to replace the bushes where the lower wishbone connects to the chassis. Can anyone give me a quick procedure to follow along with any pitfalls I might face along the way. Ta!

I recently changed my standard front calipers for the four-pots from James Whiting. I kept the standard reservoir which has meant more travel at the brake pedal. Another upshot has been that I have to really put some weight on the pedal before the rear lights come on. Is this something I can easily adjust out to get the lights working properly again?

I've recently purchased LEDA adjustable dampers and springs and hoping to eventually get them on the car this week (all 4 corners). I'm reasonably handy with a set of spanners but not when it comes to cars. Is this an easy(ish) job and something I can do in my garage over the weekend? Any tips you could offer would be appreciated. Ta!

With a softer spring will the performance of the dampers become more critical and with the multitude of adjustment combinations available will set up be a nightmare?

For Xmas I've decided to treat my nearest and and dearest to a bit of an upgrade! I have a very standard 92 VX HPC, all I've done is ditch the 16 inch wheels in place of 13 inch a couple of years ago. I want to start with the handling: Change the brakes and also springs, dampers ARB sizes etc. I saw the earlier string on springs but presumably things will be a bit different for the heavier VX. I want reasonable comfort for the road but better track handling. I get a lot of understeer at the moment. I think I'm sorted on the front brakes but could do with some advice on the rears as well as suggestions on springs, dampers, ARB, etc. Ta!

The Caterham extinguisher is liquid not powder, I know this from experience. The Halfords item was powder and did the trick. The fire in question was caused by very questionable quality fuel links to the carbs leaking and dropping fuel onto the exhaust. I know that certain extinguishers are better than others depending on the fire type, petrol / electrical etc. The powder was far more efficient in this case. I will admit that I bought the Caterham one because I needed a fire extinguisher for an Elite Club track day and the Caterham one looked great. The guys at Caterham suggested that I mount it between the 2 seats, for which I was serverely castigated by the marshalls who were worried that it could fly off in an accident and take your ear with it (crash helmet permitting), anyway you live (hopefully) and learn. The Caterham Customer Services people are being very helpful on this matter, but do state that these are not "track quality" extinguishers. In future I would go for a larger capacity / plumbed in race job for me and a certified one clamped in the boot for help on another car if needed. Having seen how quickly these things burn once they take hold, I now realise the importance of these things and maybe it could be more important than other add-ons.

I recently bought a Caterham green fire extinguisher, bit expensive but looked the part. Actually it wasn't the part, not even close. You hope never to have to use these things but the occasion arose the other weekend when a friends car caught fire. It was very lucky that he had been out and spent 15 quid on a Halfords extinguisher 'cos the caterham one was pathetic and he would have been looking at 50 grands worth of '60s V12 Ferrari scrap if not. I could joke about the pathetic ejaculation, 2 small squirts and the pressure was gone - but if your pride and joy was burnt to a cinder you might be less inclined to laugh! Am I alone on this, was this a duff item, anyone else tried theirs with impressive ejaculatory results? Needless to say I'll be off to halfords with my 15 quid and spend the 85 I save on fireproof underpants.

Please tell me I'm wrong. The battery on my HPC is tucked away under the carbs. I've often thought this is a pretty daft place to put it, I suppose it keeps the CoG low. I tried dropping it out the bottom but the chassis rails and engine casing get in the way. Do I really have to get the carbs off to get the battery out?

Goodwood is a nightmare for noise! You're best off going for a supertrap muffler or a 7 inch vauxhall racing silencer. Both of these should get you past the 98dB static test. They also sell a bolt on muffler at Goodwood that you can buy off the marshalls for about 50 quid. Without these you'll be running at about 105+ dB at 2/3 redline on a vauxhall with carbs and a 4 to 1 exhaust with 5 inch silencer. It's also worth changing up when you pass the pit entrance to avoid the induction passing the drive-by limit. I went for the 7 inch silencer, it's pricey an heavy but runs well under the limit. At Brands, I think that 105 is the limit but I've never been checked.

Goodwood only test the static noise level at the exhaust. You could try a supertrap. These can get you down to the 98dB (5'' side, 4-1) limit but will effect performance at the top end. I put a 7'' silencer on my VX 2L with a 4-1 competion exhaust and this got me down to a surprising 96dB static (I did lie about the red line!) They can get you on the drive-by on the induction noise as you go past the pits. It's a good idea to change up about here if you see the marshall with his stick out!

Has anyone ever converted a 7 from flared to cycle wings? Is it possible to fill the holes left from the flared arches without them being visible from the outside? I say this because I find that currently, the areodynamics are such that anything over about 80 and it's like a brick! Also I'd like to go over to wide track as the front's looking a bit tired and I don't know if this would be realistic with the width of the flared arches.

Re oils: Would this also go for a 2L Vx?

In addition to the above, I was thinking of uprating the springs while I'm at it. Caterham recommend 300 lbs on the front with dual rate 200 lbs on the rear for a 92 VX HPC de dion car. Sound about right?

Just got a set of adjustable platforms to fit on standard Bilstein dampers. Having never taken springs / dampers apart before any chance of a quick fitting procedure & are there any problems I need to be aware of?

I have a stock ’92 HPC and have found that as I start to push it I am seeing quite a bit of understeer at the entry to corners. I am thinking about uprating springs and dampers and have read the words in Blatchat with interest. How about going for a wide track conversion at the same time. The theory says that the wider the better. Is it worth the extra expense? Also I have 21Rs on at the moment but will need a change soon. ACB10s should offer more grip but are they really as unsociable for road use as people suggest?