Cut and fitted carpets for underneath drivers and passengers seats. Fitted passenger seatbelt and both seats.
July 28th
Fitted both headlamps.
July 29th
Wired up headlights including the extra earth wire on the drivers side light for the dim dip to work.
September 14th
Thought it was about time to start the engine. Put some fuel in the tank and run the pump off a direct feed for about 30 seconds to get fuel to the carb. Turned the key and it started first time after 12 months standing idle.
September 15th
Went to the Donington show and picked up the last few things needed to finish the car.
Fitted the edge trim on the cycle wings and the small 21w bulbs I needed for the front indicators.
September 19th
Drilled holes in the side body for the side indicators, all lights now fully operational.
October 25th
Checked exhaust noise level with a dB meter, found to be 108 dB (too noisy, limit for SVA is 101 dB). While doing this with the engine at 4,500 revs copious amounts of smoke started pouring from the exhaust and a hydraulic tappet started knocking. I think with the engine standing idle for the last 12 months the valve oil seals have hardened, so I'll have to take the head back off and change them.
October 26th - 27th
Started to work on the boot. Made templates and cut shapes out of plywood for the boot cover.
November 4th - 5th
Made templates for the boot sides, cut shapes from s/steel sheet and bent to shape to fit.
November 15th - 16th
Removed cylinder head off engine, removed cam shafts, hydraulic tappets and valves. Fitted new valve seals and replaced the valves. Worked out how to reuse the hydraulic timing chain tensioner not buy a new one every time you take the head off as Mr Ford says.(pics and details of how to do it ) Also smashed a hydraulic tappet to bits to see how they work, if the valve inside the tappet is gripped firmly with a pair of pliers and pulled hard it pops out of the tappet. The valve consists of an outer casing, piston with ball bearing and tiny spring underneath and a larger spring that fits under the piston inside the casing. They either seize or get full of gunk, and can be dismantled and cleaned out (be very careful of the tiny spring under the ball bearing, I lost one and it took me hours to find) once the valve and tappet are washed out the valve is just pushed back into the tappet. ( the smallest bit of muck between the ball bearing and bottom of the piston will stop the valve working, hence the noisy engine)
