andy couchman

21kgs here - methinks too much (but that does include the scissor jack). So, going on a reduction exercise to hopefully halve that.

Not sure if he's still a club member but in Gloucestershire we had a guy called Colin Chapman (no, not that one) and he paid a lot to have a Vegantune engine built. From memory he had issues with the engine but can't remember what. This was a good few years ago though!

I've just discovered 'black tack' which is a stronger version of blue tack but still reusable. Plenty on eBay - and go for the premium version, which is stickier./ Worth a try?

Thanks Jonathan - yes will try that first. Thanks.

I've had this (Torque Starter?) on the car for over 20 years now. It still turns over OK but seems to take a lot of current. It's been suggested it would be worth me having it rebuilt. Thoughts? And back to Edge or can it be done locally - I'm in North Gloucestershire. Thanks all. Andy

Thanks SM25T old chap. Much appreciated.

Where are you based Nigel?

Locktite or not? And what torque setting? It's the allen bolt that holds the bottom of the damper to the wishbone. Think it's an imperial chassis but modified. Thanks. Andy.

I have a steel Burton's dry sump on my crossflow (same block as the BD?). It has a right angle front on the bottom of the pan, so we welded a steel 'ramp' to the chassis crossmember immediately in front of it. Been on there 20 years now and (touch wood) still OK.

Hi all - yes it's me (Glos AR and member since 1988). The mag asked for stories and I replied about the 7 and that its humble ali gearlever knob means such a lot, as my dad had designed it and started to make it just before he died of cancer back in 1992. The story resonated and was followed up by emails and then a photoshoot a few weeks ago. I did ramble on a bit, so they could probably have filled the mag, but a page is quite enough (some would say far too much...). If anyone wants to pass on that page if the mag when they've finished I'd be very grateful, as it's going in the scrapbook! Looking forward to receiving the photos (by Joby Sessions - an extremely good pro photographer) to make up a photobook of the day too. Star though is the car - I've had it since we built it in 88/89, it's now just about where I want it to be, and it's what my eldest daughter described as her second sister... :-) Andy

Any suggestions? Saw one in action (a Noco I think) on Saturday (at Silverstone and yes, we'd left the lights on on mate's Volvo...) and very impressed. Started it when jump leads from a running Fiesta had failed. Thanks.

Not sure rake will alter the F/R weight distribution much and yes, getting diagonals roughly equal seems to be how most set up a 7. I thought rake was more to do with how the car handled and presumably being able to put the power down quicker (but hey am no engineer!)? In terms of what weight distribution is best, my 1988 7 started with about 50/50 and BMW ads for years have said that was the perfect result. For a low powered LR Defender offroad in a field that makes sense too. However, in competition circles my understanding is engineers are usually looking for more weight on the back. Writing in a classic car mag a while back, Tiff Needell reckoned 40/60 was perfect. I've tried very hard over the years to get away from 50/50 and am up to around 47/53 (all figures with just me on board) and am fairly happy with that. That has included a CF nosecone, ali rad, ali XFlow head, no heater, battery and washer bottle in boot, only one horn and so on. One of the reason the 911 has been so succesfull in motorsport has been its rearward weight bias, despite the engine being in the wrong place and it acting like a pendulum (what engineers call having a high polar moment of inertia - the opposite of what we enjoy in our 7s). Having less weight at the front means better traction on starts but also better braking (braking transfers weight to the front so you still have some rear weight so the back brakes can do more), you can trail brake or be off the throttle in corner entry (a bit of deceleration will give you 50/50 balanced cornering) and the the car can get maximum traction by having max weight on the back under acceleration so you can accelerate earlier. All this is only possible due to modern tyre grip (hence 50/50 was fine back in say the 1950s). At least that's my understanding (stands back while everyone who understands these things proves me wrong... :-)).

Actually for my Triumph Vitessse but it's the same unit. Anyone have one for sale? Thanks. Andy

Haven't read all 191 posts (sorry!) but... ...I use Bluecol and distilled water in my crossflow with ali rad, with distilled water carried in the car in case I need to top-up. Good or bad? Thanks. Andy

Thanks all!