SimonRHC

On my way home after a hard day in the office (perusing BlatChat like the rest of you). Crossed over the M25 (on the M40, heading for the cows). Checked over my left shoulder to see what joined, SH!T, a McLaren F1!!! Peering down into the Burgundy beauty, behold, a bearded and bespectacled Mr Bean. (Help I think I’m turning into Stuart Hall) Mr A followed me for a while but I couldn’t handle the pressure (being in one of Uncle Henry’s tin-tops). I pulled over and Rowan crept past trying to blend in with the automotive flotsam & jetsam. I kept up for a while then he pulled over and I passed (with my window wound down). Curse my congested, candle like ears, all I could hear was road rumble. We were soon upon the junction and fuc# me he gave it the Bavarian Berries, enough to make Paul Roche proud of his 627 babies. In a blink, it was like wearing binoculars backwards. Time for some go-go juice so I pulled in. Well where else would a Geordie go to fill up a jock sounding motor… ASDA. I hope Gordon Murray doesn’t find out, they don’t even sell 97-RON. In seeing a smoking Mondeo LX swing into the queue behind him carrying a Phil Mitchell doppelganger, Rowan made his excuses and left (did a quick U’ie and scarpered). Who can blame him, look what happened to Steve “Spandau Ballet” Owen. Leaving me to blub with bleary eyes… I was really, really excited to see what a £30 Jubilee Clip looks like. Simon Speak today has featured the letter B and the Number 240.1

Cheers Guys, Sounds like a result! Simon.

Chaps, I have some adjustable spring seats to fit to my old Bilstein Dampers. The dampers are the old type with circlip grooves every inch. The problem is that the main bolt through the lower wish bone has rusted-up probably necessitating cutting out. With the new Bilsteins there is a nut at the end of the damper rod where the bump stop sits. Mine doesn’t have that nut but my question is:- Is the end of the rod still threaded & will it unscrew? Cheers, Simon.

Chaps, What I really what to know is: Are the ends of my damper rods threaded? Cheers, Simon.

Chaps, I have some adjustable spring seats to fit to my old Bilstein Dampers. The dampers are the old type with circlip grooves every inch. The problem is that the bolt through the lower wish bone has rusted up probably necessitating cutting out. With the new Bilsteins there is a nut at the end of the damper rod where the bump stop sits. Mine doesn’t have that nut but my question is:- Is the end of the rod still threaded? If so I can drill and cut a block of Ali, clamp the lower end of the rod and unscrew it (just like on the new Bilsteins). Whip the spring off, fit the adjustable platform and then screw it all back together. I know I should probably cut the bolt out of the lower wish bone but why make work for yourself whilst the sun is out? Cheers, Simon.

Hi, I got a breathable "silver foil" type cover from Argos ~£40. It's huge so quite quick to throw over. to stop it blowing away got 4 footie boot laces from ASDA (black for the back, white for the front) and threadded them throught holes i made in-line with the wheels. to stop the holes tearing i spread 4 inch diameter disks of araldite on the fabric to act like rip-stop. Its a bit of a juggling act (i've got short arms!) but the coloured laces help then i just tie them through the wheel spokes. It's worked fine for 3 years and counting. Simon

Hi David, Good blat on Saturday, shame that the only quite roads were bumby ones! I've got a strip of Ali in the roof that shout be up to the job. If you come aroung some time i think we could lash some up in about 30 minutes. Cheers Simon.

Thanks "Granteuk", your a star! my address is simoncopping@hotmail.com i'll have to go and busy a screw driver and some mole grips! Cheers Simon

So this is where everyone hides when they should be doing there bit for the ballence of payments! Talk Soon Dan, Hope you are well you old rascal.

Hi David, Ahh the vanity of it, searching through the spotted section to see if you've been seen! Yep, I'm back and hoping that the only propper time to wash the seven is to sell it. (the pressure is mounting) I have a desparate thread running about how i can get >35mpg out of my heap and hence justify keeping it. various suggestions that don't involve pumping the tires up to 300psi and fitting a sail are rejetting as it's propably a bit on the rich side, and blydenstein head conversion I'll have to catch up with you after the weekend. Simon.

I will do soon, but first (imbarassingly) i have to get a mate aroung to point at which bit of the carb's is the "jet's". Cheers Simon.

I will do soon, but first (imbarassingly) i have to get a mate aroung to point at which bit of the carb's is the "jet's". Cheers Simon.

Cheers Firemang, +30mpg with mixed driving Thats good news! I was wondering about the head work, rejetting and aeroscreens to save petrol Monday to Friday. My comute is a cruise down the motorway so i'd be very interested if you get any results from a motorway run. I'll save full throttle for the weekends. Thanks again Simon.

Thanks for the suggestion of rejetting. currently, 32mpg would save me £500 / year! I must do a test run with my aero mods to see the full effect of just those. Please let me know if you get mpg results with your rejetted carbs. Cheers Simon

No wind-up! I'm serious about the need for good MPG figures. There's no point stating the figures whilst hareing about (i can get the standard 1600VX down to 17mpg on the motorway at 99mph). I (my wife) needs the good news, not the bad! People have been claiming an increase in power and mpg through freer breathing. I just wondered if any one with the Blydenstein conversion has calculated the mpg on a long, "steady", motorway run (ie ~75mph). I have even considered trying to reduce the Cd primerally throught reduction in frontal area. I'm not serious about the diesel, but i suppose i'd rather have a diesel seven then no seven. Cheers (a down in the dumps) Simon.

Hello, The time has come, I'm probably going to have to sell my beloved Seven, due to a baby on the way. The only hope i have is to the run the 1600VX as a second car (at the moment it's 3rd). Hind sight is a wonderful thing, but i wish i'd bought a 1.4K series because my mate gets 40mpg. I'm lucky to get 25mpg and this is the problem. If i am to comute in it i need to be more frugal. Running a seven is very cheep but petrol is a big issue. Please, has any one worked out the efficiency increase in mpg of the Blydenstine head conversison, not hooning around but cruising (i.e. 75mph on the motorway). if i can get ~35mpg then it makes the seven cheeper than the mondeo and i can then justify keeping it. failing that does Bill do a Diesel conversion??? Please help. Simon.

Hi, If it had black wheels, was Q-plate, acid yellow-under-mud it could have been me. I live near headington and my folks near banbury. Simon

Hello, it does sound like a sticking / welding contact problem that is very common if the application is not quite right. i'm always reluctant to say any thing about starters as there are so many areas that can go wrong, starting at the battery and it's condition through to the engine cranking and fireing characteristics. the best way is to progresivly work your way along the system checking the terminals and continuites. make sure the 7 is in neutral and you are away form belts. Greasing the solenoid plunger is fine as long a you do it sparingly with a grease that is not too temperature sensitive. Hope I've been of some help. i seem to be the only 7 owner i know not to have problems (1600VX). Cheers Simon (Starter Motor Designer!)

It is an ambition of mine to fit a Triumph Triple Bike engine in my Seven. The idea (hair-brain scheme) seems quite appropriate being a "British" Engine, and have you heard one going up through the rev range. Does any one have experience of one? Simon (Whealey)

Dan, i need a new rad. do you thing your's would fit Mr Winkie? Si

Dan, it brings tears to my eyes that you selling so much of your heratige. how big will your tummy get with out that lovely mountain bike! See you on saturday. Si p.s. you're not allowed to win stuff this time, give the rest of us a chance. pps i was interested in buying something off you but i'm drunk and can't remember what.

Dan, I'm not great with computers but it kept posting an error message saying that the password was wrong. i gave up not realising that it had sent it 5 times! see you soon Si

Andy, Do you still want to sell your wheels (as your reply said). I'm very interested! Simon.

Andy, Do you still want to sell your wheels (as your reply said). I'm very interested! Simon.

Andy, Do you still want to sell your wheels (as your reply said). I'm very interested! Simon.