1500ti restoration. Ex racer

[PETROLHEAD]

Id get 2 x pairs of spacers, and try that.

Theory is, a little more height and distance from the inlet throat allows the mixture to atomise better before meeting the cylinder, and better heat insulation is a given.

[junior]

Ah yes, the use of longer or shorter inlet tract that has been back and forth over the years.

Will have a think about that. Thanks for the idea.

I intend to plan more now, rather than the big push to finish.

[PETROLHEAD]

Its generally thought of that longer is better for torque and shorter is better for top end bhp.

Oddly similar to exhaust on the opposite side too,

Who'd have thought that?

[Spacenut]

Its generally thought of that longer is better for torque and shorter is better for top end bhp.

Yes, that is what I understood too. I can think of a few examples - my old Droop Snoot Firenza had an experimental Works inlet manifold (short tract) which sacrificed some of the 2.3 litre slant-4 torque for some more top end, the early Chrysler "Max Wedge" 426 had optional "longhorn" and "shorthorn" inlet manifolds for road and race respectively, and the McLaren M8F CanAm engines mixed long and short inlet trumpets (on the same manifold) to maximise the spread of torque across the whole rev range. So half the cylinders were optimised for low down grunt and the other half for top end power.

Of course the normally aspirated big block CanAm engine (almost every one a Chevrolet "porcupine" V8) had close to 700 bhp at the time, and quite a lot of torque to spare as well!

Lauren

[junior]

Had the original shocks I put in give up very quickly as one lost all interest, so the back end was fighting itself.

Then tried to fit a pair of Leda shocks and found I had not taken into account the width of the body of the shocks.

Found this after I had got them altered. Then deciding I should stick to tried and tested methods I bought Spax gas shocks.

One went in as easily as can be possible. The other just will not quite fit. I have tried several different ways of doing it.

Anyone had the same problem? Is it the shape of the internals in the suspension tower?

Checked the hole size, shone a torch up and not extra rubbers are in the tower. It just wont quite go.

The top sticks up but not enough to get a nut on and pull it up that way. Is it the plastic cover on the shocks?

[rsfruitbat]

Had exactly the same problem took the plastic sleeve off, heated it up and refitted. Heating made it a bit more supple and deform easier. Bit of a fiddle but it went in. Make sure you fully extend shocker before you fit. Also try thin nose pliers to grab the top of the thread?

Rsfruitbat

[junior]

So it is the plastic sleeve! Many thanks was really getting to me as such as simple task.

Will try as you say. Can get mole grips on the very top, but not enough to pull the threads into play.

Roll on tomorrow and another attempt.

[rsfruitbat]

The other thing I found was that the threaded section can need some guidance to go through location in body.definitely easier if someone can help.Rsfruitbat

[junior]

That sounds sensible as well. Will wait till a friend is down on thur. Also hopefully not so cold then !

My shed is quite large, but so are the drafts going through it.

Went in after the heavy snow storm at Xmas to find the Sud covered in snow where it had been driven in under the eaves.

Bit of a shock as never happened before.

[junior]

Shocks are in and it turned out to be the collar at the top. Took the plastic cover off as rsfuitbat suggested.

Hot air gun helped. Then pushed the shock up into the tunnel several times till they marked the top of the metal collar that the plastic sits on. Then cut a bit off and it was better. Bit more and slid into place. Happy days.

Just been down the little road opposite and over a very rough cattle grid and already much better.

[KevJTD]

great result all round, well done you guys

[junior]

Hi Chaps.

I have three of these wheel centres and of course could do with one more. Not essential but I feel it would just add a bit to the era of the car . Any chance of anyone having one ?

Thanks chaps as usual.

[adsblacksud]

Here you go

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Compomotive- ... Swgu9ZZzq7

[junior]

Ha. I did not think anyone would be making them!

Great, many thanks for the link.

[PETROLHEAD]

Blimey! theyre a price aren't they!

Let me know if you go ahead and buy any, otherwise give me a nod and ill have a dig round my stock of old centres and compomotive stock bits, never know my/your luck!

[junior]

Yes, they seem a lot and I have asked if I can just buy a pair as I only need one, but a new pair at the front and old ones at the back would be fine.

Thanks for the offer and if you do bump into one....

[PETROLHEAD]

Let me have the pertinent sizes and i'll see what i have mate

[junior]

Hi Shrew.

They extend outward 50mm and if read across the top 58mm dia. The base is 65mm dia.

Thanks for looking.

[junior]

Did not get door keys to the Sud so one of this years tasks was to find some.

Took door handle off, initially it turned the stud and not the nut, but having talked to John at Justsuds and being sure

of a replacement handle plus excellent advice yet again I went ahead.

Took it to Malvern to Elite Service Centre 01684 561100. Did detective work with Terry and it was an education.

Now got door keys, plus one for my C3, and the all for £100. .

Then took it out on the local historic car club run and after a mile it made the most awful noise as though one of the

rear shocks had come adrift. Crept home and parked it up highly annoyed. Went back to it monday and easily found

the damper had settled down more and the washer on top was rubbing up and down to the lock nuts grating on

threads. Body amplified the sound. 30 seconds with a spanner and sorted, both annoyed and pleased.

[junior]

This perspex rear window has been annoying me for some time, but always had more important jobs to do.

Also wanted a warm day so the old silicon would scrape off with out taking the paint off. Monday was perfect.

Took a while and had to use a lot of care as the perspex has a few cracks that I could easily see them

getting much bigger if I was not careful

Very pleased with the end result. Just hope its all well and no cracks will appear as the screw holes were all over the place and the screws varied greatly. Tried to keep each to its original place. but some would not return easily.

[Mufasa]

Lovely job!

[junior]

Thank you.

Next job is sump off as a pinhole leak has appeared in the welding ! Most annoying.

Still that was the aim of the next few months to sort out any issues as they arise so I should just accept it.

[Kegsti66]

There's always something to tinker with.

[Veesix75]

Chemical metal will seal the sump, I sealed an oil leak, alloy crack around the oil sensor.

[junior]

Ah, thank , not thought of that and never tried the stuff. So did you degrease, abrade the surface and go from there ?

My problem is the pin hole is on top of one of the wings of the sump so I cannot clearly see it so its a bit tricky

with out taking it off. If I take it off I feel I may as well get it welded well.

As long as they dont burn another hole in it,

Thanks.

[junior]

Trying to reshape the front skirt and not done much with fibre glass.

So my question is ......Could I use a cardboard box as a former to remake the scoop section at very

the front and middle. Would it be best to wax the box or to wrap it tightly in polythene.

Or am I best finding someone who has done it before as my results may well look childish

Thanks as usual.

[Kegsti66]

I think that would work ok.
If you have any, wrap the box in two inch masking tape first, then with some wax rubbed over it will act like a release agent. Anything that sticks can be rubbed down when it is set, prior to prepping and painting black.

[junior]

Super, thanks for that. Will give it a go.

Would you use a primer filler over the top of it to get a better finish. Not that I am aiming to get it

to show standard of course.

Car is running well now. Cannot get the sump oil temp gauge to work despite it looking like its wired right,

having continuity and a new sender as the last electrician said it was duff. May be the new gauge.

Took a mate out this week and he had the laugh that is just on the edge between fear and exhilaration.

So the car is spot on. Must be the driver it fears.

[Kegsti66]

I would, unless you get proper release agent there is bound to be a bit of unwanted resin. When set rub it down with 80 grit , then 120 grit to square it all up. Any holes or bits you are not happy with fill with a bit of filler, then a bit of primer should do the trick.
Will your mate go in it again, that is the question?

[junior]

[quote="Kegsti66"]Will your mate go in it again, that is the question?

Let him have a drive and when he stopped the car on the drive he just sat there laughing.

At one point as we headed for the hedge momentarily he did say `Wow! That's torque steer !'

Thanks for the advice on the glassfibre. Got it all prepared this afternoon. Just need a couple of brushes now.