Frustration creeps in

Apologies for the long delay in writing this next "episode" but its been a very frustrating few weeks.
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After the visit from the auto electrician, and a few changes in the wiring, I tried to start the car but the battery just didn't have enough life in it. After an overnight charge I tried again, and voila - it roared into life. Roared was the operative word as it was VERY LOUD! I guess the turbo on the old engine had somehow reduced the noise or perhaps the tone, but the car now barked and crackled like a Morgan trike racer. Great for a while but somehow I don't think the neighbours will think much of it, and I'm sure the boys in blue would have a word to say too. Much grinning later and the engine was switched off. However, the following day the battery just wasn't up to it and it was obvious that a new one was needed. Fortunately my local Battery City had one so a swap was easily accomplished.
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Without an MOT I wouldn't risk running on the road but fortunately we have 100 yard long drive to the public road so I decided to try a few trips up and down the drive - clutch down - into first - clutch released - car stalled. I checked the cable adjustment and it seemed to be adjusted almost as far as it could. Head scratching began, followed by mild muttering and cursing. In the end it just required a bit more adjustment and it was OK. So, a few trips up the drive (which fortunately ends in a slight rise to the road so I could coast backwards and turn round) and I noticed that the temperature gauge was registering close to "Hot". Oh dear - switched the fan on and there was no noticeable difference on the gauge. I switched off and checked the engine - there was no apparent boiling. Was the gauge wrong? I needed something to check the actual temperature. Would the meat testing thermometer do the job? Would Mrs Rog find out? Oh well, in for a penny.
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In the meantime I had an MOT booked so drove the 8 miles to the Class 3 MOT station. By the time I reached the garage, the temperature had again reached a point close to "high" on the gauge, even with the fan switched on. As I had arrived early I had a short wait - some 10 minutes, but by the time I started the car to move into the inspection bay, the temperature was near the low mark. That seemed a bit odd after such a short time. Anyway, the usual casual inspection resulted in an MOT after 10 minutes, and I drove home - once again the temperature gauge needle gradually moved to hot. As I needed petrol I stopped at a local garage and filled up, expecting the fuel gauge to swing across to full. Sadly, it didn't but stayed resolutely stuck at empty. Another problem to investigate.
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Once home I snuck out to the garage with the meat thermometer and positioned it along the front of the radiator, noting as I did that the solder at one end of the radiator that attaches the nearside fixing bracket had become unsoldered - heat perhaps? After a few minutes of running with the bonnet off I had the proof I didn't want - when the temperature gauge read Hot, it was - 100 degrees C. Interestingly, when the fan was switched on the meat thermometer dropped to 80 degrees C, but the gauge stayed on high. It looks as though the gauge is not reacting as quickly as it should, but I do have a cooling problem so it looks like a supplementary radiator is needed after all.
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The fuel gauge was quickly sorted - a connector had "disconnected". The fuel gauge now registers as it should.
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As I had silencers with a removable centre, I checked one to see what baffling it had. Apart from a very thin layer of coarse fibres wrapped around the drilled through pipe, there was nothing else. All I needed was some additional baffle "wool" I thought and I could wrap that around the existing stuff and, hopefully, I would have a quieter car. EBay was the natural starting point, but nothing. I tried a general "Google" search and found three possibilities. One, a specialist exhaust company wanted £12 for a very small pack, but I eventually found another at £6.95 for twice the amount offered by the first. After going through the electronic checkout I was advised that this item was out of stock. Why do these Internet traders do this? Its so frustrating to go through adding all one's details, only to find the item isn't in stock. I shut the window and moved on, finding another company offering exhaust baffle that was supposedly in stock. 7 days later I'm still waiting for it. I know the UK post is bad, but it seems this is down to sloppy administration by the supplier.
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Back to the cooling. I've researched the availability of supplementary radiators and it seems that its either Mocal (oil cooler) of Goodridge who make an oil or fluid cooler. The annoying thing is that I'll have to get another water transfer pipe as I cut the last one I bought to reroute the water back behind the engine and into the radiator. I'll trawl EBay and see what I can find. In the meantime, I'm learning about JIC sizes so I can work out what to do to fit the additional radiator.
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Perhaps I'll get to drive the car this year - perhaps not.
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Roger

It looks finished.......

...but still awaits the auto electrician. In the meantime, some photos of the car with its newly painted bodywork.

Roger

Waiting, waiting, waiting.......

Its been a very frustrating two weeks with little I could do to the car as I waited for - the T piece for the temperature gauge sender; the painter to paint the two body panels; the auto electrician to arrive to check out the wiring.

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I'm still waiting on the auto electrician and the painter (my panels now next in queue), but I did get the T piece so fitted this today. Once this was done I mixed some water and anti-freeze and filled up. After about 2 litres of water/anti freeze had been added, a spout of water appeared from the top of the engine block. Dam - I'd missed this outlet and a corresponding small bore pipe outlet near the thermostat. I felt a bit like the boy with his finger in the dyke - no-one was around, so should I stand there like a lemon with a finger over each outlet, run for something to plug the two outlets, or shout for Mrs Rog? The latter option was tried and produced nothing so it was a dash for the garage and suitable plugs. However, as soon as I removed the fingers the "gusher" fizzled out so I was able to find something to plug them. The problem I now have is that I'm not sure if these two outlets should be directly connected - I assume they should so now need to start the hunt for information.

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In the absence of any serious work to do I resorted to cleaning the chrome wire wheels. I've never been an avid polisher before because I've never really had the time, but now I do have the time I feel I've become a rather sad individual!

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A little footnote about the engine swap and the stupid bureaucracy that now surrounds it in the UK. Apparently, DVLA now requires proof of purchase of an engine and ratification by a garage that it is genuine. This ridiculous requirement has been introduced to try and stop stolen car parts being sold and fitted as replacements. I've therefore had to email the guy I bought the engine from and ask for a proper receipt, otherwise DVLA will not update the engine details and I will not be able to tax the car - how pathetic is that?

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Roger

I hate brakes

Having cut down the mudguards I've now painted them black (Dupli-colour aerosol can) and refitted the torpedo type indicators to the top. Running the wires down the strut and back to the other electrics was very simple and quickly done, followed by a quick check that they worked correctly - which they did. Before fitting the mudguards I adjusted the offside wheel bearing as a small amount of play was evident.

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As the inside of the car was looking a little tatty still, and had suffered from a less than successful coating of Hammerite a while back, I sanded down the floorpan and gave it a coat of hammered silver. I still don't like Hammerite particularly and do feel that its not the same formulation it once was, but as I had a coating of it in the car already I didn't want to suffer the extreme frustration of a different coating reacting to the original, so used Hammerite again. Sure enough, the desired finish was not achieved - what once would have been a guaranteed, even, hammered finish, was anything but - brush strokes could be seen. Oh well, I suppose it will be covered with matting so does it really matter?

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Two other deliveries were received this week - the voltage stabiliser for the Stag fuel and temperature gauges, and the rubber matting - both courtesy of Ebay. The matting is ribbed rubber, not as thick as I had hoped but it will suffice. I really don't see the point of having carpet in a car that is likely to get wet, and the carpets I inherited with the car were very thin. So thin in fact, that every time I moved my feet, the carpet rucked up and moved backwards. I cut the matting using the old carpets as a template, and with a bit of subtle trimming, soon had them in place. I also removed the carpet that had been used on the vertical (in)sides of the car and gave them a new coating of adhesive before refitting. To complete the interior I cleaned off the seat squabs and back with a weak detergent solution. Having done this I realise that the handbrake looked very tatty, so must give this some attention soon. Not too sure what I'll do here as I cannot relocate my existing handbrake to a more forward position (as some have done) as there simply wasn't enough slack in the cable. Perhaps I'll make the handbrake lever a little longer instead - something to ponder on but hardly a necessity at the moment.

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With the arrival of the voltage stabiliser I soon had this mounted and connected to the relevant instruments.

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And so to the brakes - my Bete Noire. Whenever I attempt to bleed brakes I end up with a less than satisfactory pedal. I was already nervous about doing the brakes on the JZR because I had noticed a leak from the union on the master cylinder, and I also remembered the grief I had the last time I tried to bleed the rear brake cylinder. I tightened the union as much as I could and checked all the other unions - all seemed OK. With the help of Mrs Rog as pedal presser extraordinaire, we started, but not before I had sworn profusely at the rear cylinder and the position of the bleed nipple. I just couldn't get the bleed pipe onto the bleed nipple. Having tried for about 20 minutes I decided that I would have to just open the nipple and let the fluid pee onto the ground. (if there's one area that requires a design rethink, its the position and type of rear cylinder used) Having checked the master cylinder union I was pleased to see that it hadn't leaked so did all three wheels, and then repeated the exercise. The pedal went half way to the floor but pumped up. Blast! I checked the pipework and saw a pool of fluid under the car below the bulkhead. A quick check showed that the three way connector on the bulkhead appeared to be leaking. Nothing leaking from the inlet, nor the pipe to the front offside, and oddly not to the pipe to the nearside and back. What the ...? I then remembered that this three way connector has a fourth port - a bleed nipple pointing downwards. I have no idea why its there, but it is, and it was the guilty party - fluid was leaking from this totally unnecessary feature, although it hadn't been a problem in the past. By now it was 13.30 on Saturday and my local motor factor shuts at 13.30 so it will have to wait until Monday to get another three way WITHOUT a bleed nipple. Brakes - I hate 'em!

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I've been promised my bonnet and rear body section will be finished during the coming week,as well as the 'T' piece for the Stag temperature gauge sensor, so we're getting closer to a roadworthy car - brakes permitting.

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Roger

Panel work complete; wiring - work in progress

We were away last weekend and so I didn't have much to report. This week I've mainly been working on finishing off the panel work which includes the covers between the bulkhead and the dash, making an airbox, and a battery box.

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Having asked the JZR group what they were using as air cleaners, I got a mixture of answers, some of which I suspect were rather tongue in cheek (a cat flap being the obvious one). It appears that the JZR crowd have anything from "nothing", through a tea strainer, to a cut down proprietary air cleaner. Given that none of these seem to be a very satisfactory solution I opted to build my own. This comprises a couple of circular aluminium "pipes" that are fastened to the carb inlets with a jubilee clip. Behind this is an air box made of ali that has a mesh cover over a foam filter. Whilst not the most sophisticated fabrication, it should do the job.

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After much head scratching about the positioning of the battery in the passenger footwell, I decided in the end to restore the battery to its original position behind the passenger seat so made up an aluminium box to house it. Previously it had just been sitting on the floor, retained only by its leads.

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I've had a very frustrating time trying to find aluminium or stainless front mudguards. I tried one company who advertised an almost endless range of different diameters, widths and lengths in both aluminium and stainless. However, as is often the case with web site adverts, I received a reply that stated that they hadn't had stainless mudguards for years, and the size I wanted wasn't available in any material. Whilst I will continue to try to find what I want, I've cut down my steel mudguards (5" off the front) as I don't like the profile - they seem to drop too far over the front of the wheel for my taste. It was surprisingly easy using an angle grinder to cut a profile I had created with masking tape. I'll paint the mudguards black in the short term and continue the hunt for aluminium or stainless ones.

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I took the bonnet and rear body section up to my painter during the week so hope to have the repainted items back in a couple of weeks. Now that I've decided to use the existing mudguards (for the time being anyway) I'll get him to paint them black too.

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After a trial connection of the fuel and temperature gauges, I've discovered that the Stag gauges I'm using need a voltage stabiliser so I bought one on Ebay last night but won't get it for a few days yet. I've also order some ribbed rubber matting as I don't intend to replace the rather poor quality carpet which always disappeared towards the bulkhead when getting into the car.

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Roger

One step forward, one step back

The new Facet fuel pump

Modified dash

This has been a frustrating week as I've tried to complete various jobs, but have found that as soon as I make try to make some progress, a seemingly simple job becomes more involved. A case in point was the fuel gauge sender unit which is fitted to the top of the rear mounted fuel tank. The fuel gauge had always given inaccurate readings to I had bought a Triumph Stag fuel gauge (£4.50 on Ebay) and new sender unit so thought I would fit that instead. To reach the sender unit I had to remove a piece of plywood that acted as a cover and seal (to stop the rear wheel throwing water up the backs of the occupants). That was simple enough although one edge was trapped by a vertical piece of ply, so I had to cut it with a craft knife. The fuel gauge sender unit was attached to the tank with 6 screws, five of which came out easily. The sixth (its always the last one, isn't it?) seemed to be revolving without undoing, but after applying upward pressure to the now nearly detached sender unit, it came out. All I had to do was to lift out the sender unit - simples! Well, no, it wasn't as there was a steel ring sitting on the float and obviously, it was this that had held the sender unit to the top of the tank. As this was larger than the hole it was a complete mystery how it had been fitted, and indeed, how the fixing screws could have been attached to the as the sender unit when in situ would make it impossible to hold the plate in place. This situation was compounded by the fact that that the plastic float was also larger than the hole through which I was trying to withdraw it. In the end I settled for cutting the float and compressing it to withdraw the sender unit and accepted that the metal ring would drop into the bottom of the tank. Fifteen minutes with a length of stiff wire trying to remove it was totally waste effort, so there it will stay. I can only assume that the tank was welded up AFTER the sender unit had been fitted. I can't see any other explanation. I've now got another fabrication job to get the Stag sender unit (which fits easily through the hole) fixed to the top of the tank. Much filing was necessary, and swearing a lot seemed to help.
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After some further reading of the Honda and JZR manuals I realised that the missing neutral cable must be lurking down the back of the engine somewhere. Sure enough - there it was, so I was able to wire that in with much fuss. I also made a lead to connect the oil pressure switch to the warning light, and in so doing realised that I hadn't connected the main beam warning light. The old fashioned type of switch I had bought (picture - bottom centre of dash) is a bit fiddly as it has screw-in terminals, but I made a wire to run from the main beam feed to the warning light. Rather oddly, the warning light glows dimly on dip beam and then brightly on main beam. Must be some sort of earthing problem but I'll get back to that later on.

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I finally decided to attack the installation of the Facet solid state fuel pump I had recently bought. Having been advised that it need to push fuel rather than pulling it, it could only go in the area behind the passenger seat. With the back face of that area being the petrol tank itself (and not really advisable to drill into) I decided that the central steel frame was the best place. However, I first had to remove the earth strap which was fitted there. Easily said, but not easily done as it was only just possible to reach the head of the bolt from under the car, whilst applying a socket to the nut inside the car. Quite how someone with shorter arms would cope without third party help is a mystery. Given that I was once told that if my arms were any longer my knuckles would scrape the ground when I walked, I guess I had an advantage. Anyway, after one broken drill bit I had made a suitable hole to mount the fuel pump and managed to fit the bolt from the underside and tighten it up without too much cursing.

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I decided to fit a switch for the fuel pump as I know from past experience that having the ability to switch on the ignition without fuel being pumped is a very useful option.

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I also had a rather trying time attempting to get the flasher unit working as the unit I had purchased had letters to designate the three terminals but I had no idea what the letters meant and couldn't find anything on the world wide interweb that would help me. Trial and error seemed an option but the best I could obtain was one side flashing and the other on permanently. So I tried the old flasher unit which I knew was near or even beyond its natural life. This time I could get one side flashing and the other doing nothing, and with no warning light illuminated. I've now purchased another unit for which I have the cable connections so will try that next week.
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I finally found a suitable place for the rectifier - under the bulkhead on the passenger side - as this allows me to make the various connections quite easily and then run the remaining wires to the ignition switch.
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As I had bought the Stag fuel gauge (black face, white numbers), I decided to get the matching temperature gauge. However, this uses a different sender unit which doesn't fit the Honda "hole". I've therefore made up the bits for a T piece so that I can fit the Triumph sender unit into it- in the connector between the two top hoses. Just need to find a welder now...... ~

I had originally intended to use the Turbo indicator/flasher/horn switch, but it seemed far too modern so I opted for the traditional trafficator style switch and a simple press button for the horn. Fortunately, (as I hadn't made provision on the dash for these switches) I was able to fit them into a suitable place - middle, bottom of the dash photo.

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Roger

Windscreens and wiring

Wiring is a bit tidier now

Trial fit of the Brooklands aero screens

Despite a fair amount of time spent on the car this week, there doesn't seem to be a lot to show for the effort. I guess the main reason is that the wiring has taken a lot longer than I imagined. In part this is due to my inexperience of wiring, but also because I have chosen to make connections and not worry too much about the length of the wire whilst I check that I've done it correctly. Armed with my multimeter, I've connected each item and then tested that individual connection. When I had virtually finished the (non-engine) wiring I then set about trimming the cables to create a tidy loom (connectors being pretty cheap, it seemed a good way to go). Apart from the indicators, all other electrical components are now wired up and working so I can finish the aluminium panelling on the drivers side. Next week I shall start on the engine electricals.

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At the moment I'm confused about two things - where the neutral switch is and thus where I will find its lead, and also how the engine stop works as I will not be using the Honda ignition switch within which the stop switch is normally incorporated. I seem to recall being told that the stop switch merely ran to earth but obviously I need to check.

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As I intend to have the upper body panels repainted (the lower half is covered in stainless) I thought I should get the Brooklands Aero screens fitted so that I didn't start drilling the newly painted body. What I thought would be an easy job was not as simple primarily because there are few reference points on the bonnet from which to make measurements. In the end I positioned the screens largely by eye with the help of a piece of masking tape over the bonnet as a point of reference. I must admit that the screens look very tiny in comparison to their predecessors, but I'm very pleased with the effect. Not too sure that Mrs Rog is that impressed though as I received an "even less protection for me then" comment when I proudly displayed my work.

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I've also given some thought to the Facet fuel pump which I am assured is best placed near the fuel tank. As I've removed the front tank, this means locating the pump behind the passenger seat where the battery used to be. I've decided to relocate the battery into the passenger footwell as there is lots of room, and it makes life easier as it will be directly under the electrical connections and fuses. I haven't worked out how I'll fit this yet, but it will be enclosed in aluminium and bolted down (which it hasn't been previously). I'll probably incorporate a footrest for the passenger at the same time, as sitting with one's legs outstretched without some support can be very uncomfortable.

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I do need to make a decision about front mudguards soon as I favour aluminium or stainless and I've seen a couple of companies advertising what appear to be suitable items. I'm tempted to remove a front wheel and take it to the nearest supplier to make sure the radius is suitable.

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With a fine weekend my time has been limited as garden duties beckoned. After a day digging out footings for pathways, and laying bricks, my back is in no fit state to bend over the car anyway. However, as I am now fully retired I should be able to make progress next week.

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Roger

A few adjustments are necessary

Wiring can get a bit messy!

Having followed my instincts with the location of various items I thought it about time I retrieved the bonnet from its lofty perch in the roof of the garage and made sure it fitted OK. Whilst I had expected to trim some of the aluminium from the radiator vent duct, I was surprised to see that the CDI unit slightly fouled the bonnet, as did the coils. The latter was a simple matter as I just had to swivel the brackets through 90 degrees, but the CDI unit could obviously not stay where it was, even though it only fouled by half an inch or so, so I repositioned it on the side of the radiator ducting. Another casualty was the starter solenoid, which again, barely fouled the bonnet where it was attached to the radiator support post, but sufficiently enough to force me choose another position. The solenoid has ended up where the CDI unit was, although tucked right up to the radiator.

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With the bonnet now back in play I removed the old windscreen which has a rather curious profile - the driver's side had been cut down to about 5" high, whilst the passenger's side is about 7" high. I believe this was done so that the driver could see over the screen rather than part through the screen and part over. Nevertheless, I had decided that it was Brooklands Aero screens so set about researching a suitable source. In total I found about 10 suppliers and a variety of prices, but opted for a pair supplied by Vintage Car Parts at £116. Prices do seem to vary greatly, and some seemingly cheaper ones had not included the Value Added Tax (VAT) which pushed their price up considerably. I cannot understand why any supplier quotes net prices when we all have to pay the darn tax anyway.

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I had spoken to the guy I will be using to respray the bonnet and rear panel to ask if I should fit (and then remove) the Brooklands screens before taking the body bits to him for painting. The resulting "yes" meant another job to remove the pegs for the tonneau cover, as well as the luggage rack from the rear body section. The various holes from the old windscreen, front fuel tank filler, and luggage rack will be filled prior to painting. I also need to enlarge the holes in the side of the bonnet to allow the hot air from my radiator duct to escape. At present I am undecided whether to have a rear facing scoop, or copy the original Morgan approach with large vent holes. I'm veering to the latter with a suitable mesh attached to the inside of the bonnet.

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I've made the aluminium cover for the steering column but got a little distracted by the wiring as some more electrical bits arrived in the post so I have yet to finish the ali panels on the driver's side. I have spent some time connecting the battery cut out switch, and fixing terminals to the lighting wires. However, with limited time available this weekend I was very frustrated trying to wire up the light switch. I had noticed last year that the side lights went out when main beam was selected (position 3 on the lever switch) and had assumed that it was wired incorrectly, but when I finally put the multimeter on the switch is was evident that the switch was faulty as one terminal was completely dead. Back to the Internet then to order a new one.

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Roger

Ebay isn't always the cheapest option

The metalwork takes shape


Choke fixed to transmission tunnel

Unable to resolve the problem of fixing the very short CX500 choke cable in a suitable place, I resorted to Ebay which had literally hundreds of choke cables on offer. I quickly discovered that none of the motorbike ones were suitable - all were too short or had unique fixings. That left the car choke cables. I had estimated that the optimum length of inner cable was about 120cm so the hunt began. One feature of car choke cables was very evident - they didn't have a soldered nipple on the carburettor end. However, no sooner had I discovered this than I found a solderless nipple on Ebay, so bought that. Most of the advertisers didn't specify the cable length, but after hunting through nearly 200 listings I found that a cable for the 1971 left hand drive Triumph Spitfire was ideal as the supplier had kindly given its length. Mind you, the £13.95 plus postage price tag seemed rather high in comparison to other choke cables (and it wasn't a genuine Triumph NOS cable anyway). I therefore tried James Paddock - one of the leading suppliers of Triumph spares and was pleased to see that it was just £6.95 delivered so I've ordered one from them.

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I visited my local steel stockholder on Tuesday and bought a 1 metre square sheet of 1mm aluminium so that I could fabricate the panels I needed between the bulkhead and dashboard. Although I have a metal guillotine, it did prove a little unwieldy to cut due to its size. I had also purchased a metal folder some years ago and this has proved to be invaluable for a variety of jobs. Its a very simple device that is clamped in a vice, but works very well. I was able to make a panel that covers the central portion from the dash to the bulkhead, and a smaller panel to the nearside where I have fixed the fuse box and flasher unit. One drawback with the folder is that folds with this device have to be in one plane only, so it requires a little imagination with vice, wood and other handy "bits" to make folds in the other direction.

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I spent a couple of hours planning the electrical system refit - specifically the location of the CDI unit, regulator/rectifier - both of which need to connect to the leads from the alternator. One thing I have found useful (as a novice rewirer) is to print our several copies of the wiring diagram and then trace the key connections for each unit - e.g. CDI unit - and colour code the diagram with the correct colour of felt tip pen. I've found it so much easier to trace the start and the end of a particular wiring run by using this method - especially as my eyesight is not what it was given the size of the type on the wiring diagrams.

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On checking the wiring diagram I noticed that the normally aspirated CX500 has a starter solenoid/relay with just two blade connectors whereas the turbo one I had fitted had four blade connectors. Not being sure what the extra two leads could be for, nor, in the absence of a wiring diagram for the turbo, which of the two were surplus to my current (sorry - wasn't intended as a pun!) needs, I decided that buying the correct one would be the best option. Naturally I turned to Ebay and found that exceedingly rough looking secondhand Honda ones were as expensive as new aftermarket ones, but that the aftermarket ones were 25% of the price of an OEM product from a Honda dealer. I opted for the aftermarket one on Ebay. This arrived within 2 days and was quickly swapped for the turbo one.

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By the end of the week my attention turned back to the fabrication of the aluminium panels to cover the gap between the bulkhead and the dashboard on the passenger side of the car. As I wanted to house the fuse box and relays in this area, the resulting shape was quite convoluted. By Saturday evening I had finished the nearside to a satisfactory standard and started on the rather more awkward area over the steering column.

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I spent a few minutes tidying up the lighting wiring and marking up the ends with their origins. I've also now connected up the leads from the alternator to the CDI unit, and the rectifier/regulator, as well as the coil connection too as the units are now fixed in their final places.

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Roger

The cooling system gets me a bit overheated

Cooling system pipes now fitted

It sounds simple enough - connect the bottom radiator outlet to the water transfer pipe. In essence this is an elongated "S" shape of pipes, exiting the radiator to the offside of the car, turning through 180 degrees behind the engine, and then another 180 degree turn back to the water transfer pipe. The transfer pipe had been modified by Sam Day to include a small fixing plate to attach the pipe to one of the water pump bolts to ensure the pipe fitted squarely into the water pump aperture. Normally, this transfer pipe is located in two cradles on the near side of the engine case, but as I didn't want the cooling pipes running round in front of the engine, the pipework was being routed back behind the engine. It seemed a little ironic that having hunted for the transfer pipe for some time, that I was to cut most of it off and threw it away! (see picture)
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My blue silicone coolant pipes were all a bit longer than required so they were cut as appeared to be necessary and fitted in place. Due to the reversal of direction (twice), I had to use stainless connectors to join each bend. The connection comprised - one 90 degree bend from the bottom of the radiator sufficient to take it through the bulkhead; another 90 degree bend to take it behind the engine, and then a 180 degree bend back to the cut down water transfer pipe. In all, there are six clamps and two stainless connectors. The first attempt pushed the pipe too near to the engine and so out it all came and a careful bit of trimming with a craft knife and another assembly - much better. The pipe from the radiator now sat parallel to the water transfer pipe so the 180 degree bend completed the run. Whilst the pipework is finished I'm still not sure how best to cover the remainder of the figure of eight shaped hole through the bulkhead (necessary for the rather convoluted turbo cooling system).
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With the cooling pipework in place I could fit the carburettors which took no time at all. I did scratch my head a bit when it came to the throttle cable, but that was soon in place. Same with the clutch cable, but being unhappy with the normal loop over the top of the engine, I've routed it towards the nearside and then back to the clutch actuating arm.
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What does have me puzzled is the choke cable. How anyone can fit the standard CX500 choke cable is beyond me as its far too short to be fitted within reasonable reach of the driver.Although I've bought a new CX500 cable, I'm very tempted to source a longer choke cable from a car and fit that instead.
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With a busy social weekend I had little time to work on the JZR but have tidied up the fuel pipe run from the rear of the car forwards. The previous route took the rubber fuel pipe through the bulkhead where the gearchange lever runs. Feeling that this was a rather dangerous route I've cut a 25 mm hole high up on the vertical bulkhead on the passenger side and used a rubber grommet to protect the fuel pipe. I'm still not sure exactly where to locate the fuel pump which needs to be the next move.
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Roger

Lots of half finished jobs

Gradually looking more complete

The struts for the aluminium cover (to be made!)

The top and rear water coolant pipe

Another week of bits and pieces, and a number of half finished jobs, due mainly to not having all the parts I need.

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The exhaust spacers arrived from John Ziemba, together with the long tachometer cable so I was able to quickly fit the latter, and jiggle around with the exhaust too as the pipe reducers had also arrived in the post. However, having thought that I had two suitable clamps for the silencers, I found I hadn't, so did a tour of the motorcycle outlets, motor factors, and in desperation, Halfords. The closest I came was one of the motorcycle outlets who had 47mm to 51mm stainless clamps, but not the 43 - 47mm size that I needed. Back home, and the Internet to the rescue where I quickly found suitable clamps at a much more acceptable price - £2.95 each rather than £7.95 each for the slightly larger ones at the retail outlet. I now just have to wait for the vagaries of the dear old Royal Mail to deliver same. Given that they are still delivering Christmas cards posted 10 days before Christmas, I'm not too optimistic of a quick delivery. Unfortunately I couldn't do any more on the exhaust until the clamps arrived as they had to be fitted before the reducers are pushed into place. Had a bit of a game with the reducers as, in theory, I needed all three reducers to plug the gap between the 38 mm down pipe and the 44 mm ID of the silencers. However, they just wouldn't all fit so I had to use two of the reducers and give the clamp a serious bit of tightening.

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Having already found that none of my collection of clutch and throttle cables was suitable, Sam Day had acquired a throttle cable and choke cable for me. I collected these when I delivered my water transfer pipe to him on Monday so that it could be modified to suit the short return to the radiator. That just left the clutch cable which I ordered from David Silver on Tuesday. Still, I was able to finally fathom out how the throttle cable fitted as the thread at the pedal end was a tad bigger than the turbo cable and I needed to enlarge the hole in the pedal box to accept it. I really wasn't overly happy with the rather casual fit of the throttle cable to the throttle pedal so have used a small cable tie to ensure it doesn't jump out.

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Sam had tested the two CDI units I bought on EBay and found that one was working and one wasn't - so much for the legend "In good working order"! Having got the working unit home I quickly drilled a couple of holes on the bulkhead in a position that would allow easy connection to the leads from the alternator. As the connectors on the leads from the alternator were looking a little corroded I mused on the best way to clean them, then hit on an idea - what about Coco Cola? I filled half a jam jar and dunked the three connectors into the Cola and watched 10 minutes of fizzing before becoming bored and having lunch. After lunch I removed the connectors, washed them in water and was amazed at the shiny appearance. That should give a good connection!

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As an aside, the turbo engine and ancillaries were collected by the shippers during the week and will be on their way to Australia shortly.

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Another package received this week was the coolant pipework, connectors and clamps. Fitting the top hose was quite straightforward as a 45 degree bend from the thermostat housing creates a direct line to the top radiator connection. A bit of pipe cutting and clamp fitting, and the top connection was quickly finished. The bottom hose connection was not so easy though as access is much more restricted. My plan was to use two 90 degree bends to take the coolant pipe through the bulkhead and then return behind the engine. This would then enable me to connect up to my water transfer pipe, which will be parallel to the hose from the radiator, by using a 180 degree bend. Easily said, but not quite so quick to achieve as the top hoses, primarily because access was difficult. Nevertheless, after some changes in the position of the clamps, and some judicious cutting of the bends, I now have a coolant pipe sitting patiently beside the water pump, awaiting the arrival of the transfer pipe so that the final connection can be made. On the turbo installation, the coolant overflow bottle was attached to the outside of the body - a feature that I felt was rather unattractive so I intend to fit a smaller round bottle that I will mount in the engine bay, probably on the nearside, and out of sight. Having checked around, it seems that the overflow bottle fitted to the small chassis Triumph range (Vitesse, GT6) will do the job nicely so I've ordered one of those. Oddly, the rather tatty looking secondhand ones on EBay are more expensive than new ones from the leading suppliers.

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Due to the modifications being done to the water transfer pipe, I have not attempted to fit the carburettors yet, as they sit directly over the water pump and rear coolant pipe. However, once the transfer pipe has been fitted I will be able to fit the carbs, fuel pump and fuel supply pipe. I've also bought a fuel cut off valve that works if the car is bumped - just as a precaution.

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With visitors this weekend I had little chance to do anything substantial but have managed to make two aluminium struts to support a cover for the area between the dash and the bulkhead, as well as a central strut from the bottom of the dash to the bulkhead to give the dash more support.

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Roger

Getting colder again.....

Old and new lower radiator covers

Coils and starter solenoid now in place

Its been a slower start to the week this week - lost my way a little earlier in the week I think, and needed to focus on specific tasks. Still, I have managed to source the gearchange lever and fit it after cutting off the end (which is surplus to requirements). With my newly jointed gear lever linkage, it appears to be a much better arrangement than the turbo which had a slimmer gear lever arm at the gearbox shaft end, as this slopped around within the two pronged end of the gear linkage mechanism provided for the car.
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I've now managed to source a water transfer pipe which exits the water pump. Dire warnings have been issued by various people about getting the fitment of the pipe into the water pump housing anything other than exactly square. There appears to be two schools of thought as to where the rubber O ring goes. Some say between the ridges of the transfer pipe, and some (my expert included) says before the first ridge. I think I'll be canny and fit two O rings - one before the first ridge, and another between the two ridges - just to be safe. Talking of water pipes, I've spent a bit of time looking for 22mm internal diameter water hose on the usual car builder web sites, only to find that with the exception of a couple of bends, 22mm seems something of a scarcity. I eventually found one company - AP Motorstore - a range of not-too-expensive silicon hoses that will do the job nicely. As I've used blue for the shock absorbers and gear linkage, I've decided to go with blue hoses too.
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I've never been a great fan of Hammerite, but having decided that the floor of the car needed a coat of paint, and as I happened to have a tin of hammered silver grey, I gave it a go. Big mistake! The paint has not dried properly, even after 24 hours, and has brush marks everywhere. Looks like a sand down and repaint will be necessary.
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As promised, the exhaust downpipes turned up, together with the "blister" that provides more foot room by the accelerator pedal. I looked forward to an afternoon's session in the garage fitting the downpipes. Unfortunately, the afternoon's work was a lot shorter that I had expected. When I offered up the exhaust pipes, they wouldn't tighten when the clamps were butting up against the heads - there was still about 6mm fore and aft movement. Several attempts at removal and refitting produced the same result. Having had no previous experience of the standard 500 cc engine, I began to wonder if there were some bits missing. Unable to reach the supplier that afternoon, I looked at photographs of standard CX500 exhausts on the Internet. All seemed to have a much deeper flange that the 6mm or so flange on my new pipes. A final check with the ever-helpful UK CX500 forum resulted in a photo of a standard exhaust downpipe with deeper flange, and the observation that at least one after market exhaust system uses spacers. This seemed the most likely solution - spacers to pack out the gap. The following morning I contacted John Z and sure enough, he said I needed spacers and that he could provide them. I wonder why he didn't ask if I needed them 7 weeks ago when I ordered the downpipes?
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I've made up part of the aluminium cover for the lower part of the radiator that sits below the bulkhead, but am waiting for two dash type vents to arrive from Car Builder Solutions before doing any more as I need to cut holes in the aluminium to house them, and this is much easier done on flat sheet rather that the assembled box. Fortunately, the dash vents arrived in the post on Thursday so I braved the cold (-3 C) of the garage on Friday and finished making the unit. Whilst not wishing to brag, I do feel that my new cover is an improvement on the previous one (see photo).
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Having turned my attention to the exhaust again, I was concerned that might not be able to use the Dunstall silencers I bought last year as the ID of the silencer inlet is 44mm and the new exhaust pipe is only 38mm OD. However, EBay came to the rescue with two sets of reducers that will pack out the silencer to take the smaller diameter inlet pipe. Although the silencers were at the limit of their forward travel on the existing fixing bolt I rummaged around in the roof of the garage and eventually found the two metal straps that were supplied with the silencers. By using these I can attached the silencer to the bolt that holds the rear reflector in place which is some 100mm forward of the previous fixing point.
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By now I was getting enthused again and dug out the various throttle and clutch cables that I had for the turbo. Not one of them fitted, so now I've bought a clutch cable from David Silver (Honda agent), but I'm a bit bemused by the availability of a throttle opening cable as well as a throttle closing cable. I need to speak to my expert on this before I buy one.
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A little bit of despondency crept in again - everything I attempt to do cannot be completed because either the turbo bit is different, or because my lack of experience of the standard 500cc engine results in me hitting another "ignorance" wall. Quite why Honda found it necessary to re-engineer relatively simple parts for the turbo version is a mystery. Another example of the differences is the fixing of the coils. On the turbo, these were mounted on a simple aluminium frame that attached to the engine casing. That appears not to be the case with the standard 500cc engine so I've had to make two aluminium brackets - one for each coil - and mounted the coils on the diagonal chassis cross members. Similarly, I've made a bracket for the starter solenoid which I've mounted on the vertical chassis member that supports the radiator.
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The elusive water transfer pipe turned up on Thursday too so I need to get this to Sam Day (who is also warning me of dire consequences if this isn't fitted absolutely square) for modification. This is doubly important on my installation as the pipe will be cut to allow a 180 degree return behind the engine back towards the radiator, rather than running down the side of the engine (where there are supports cast into the casing) and round the front of the engine, as this seems an unnecessarily long route.
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I'll be picking up my tested CDI unit on Monday which will allow me to start the (dreaded)rewiring in earnest.
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Roger

Wheels firmly on the ground

Fan with top of the ducting removed

Gradually getting back to normal

One or two of my purchases have turned up this week - some aluminium sheet, a pair of coils, a flasher unit, a pair of exhaust collets - that have enabled me to rattle of another few jobs on the list that never seems to diminish.

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The aluminium sheet was needed to build the box/duct to carry hot air from the radiator to the side of the car. I've fabricated the duct and fixed the fan in place. As can be seen I've angled this to direct the hot air towards the side of the car. Now I need to make the box that fits under the bulkhead to complete the "anti-roasting" work. I have found a suitable nozzle type vent with opening/closing vanes so that heat can be directed into the car if required (Car Builder Solutions for the vent). I also need to seal the duct to the bonnet but I'll leave that until later.

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The exhaust collets were in reasonable condition but a quick polish up has them looking quite shiny. I checked with John Ziemba on the delivery of my downpipes and it appears they should be with me very shortly
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I'm little disappointed with the condition of the coils as they are very dirty and a little bit tatty, but they appear to be sound if not exactly looking like new! I need to make some brackets to attach them to the diagonal chassis members that connect the longitudinal chassis legs to the bulkhead on each side. My local hardware store has a suitable length of aluminium strip for this.

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I spent most of Friday morning getting the springs replaced onto the shock absorbers. Having done the rounds of my local garages I found that their coil spring compressors were too big to handle the dainty coil springs from the Cortina. In the end a very helpful mechanic at A&M Motorcycles in Letchworth used a motorcycle spring compressor to reassemble the coil over shocks and gave me an Olins C spanner for the final adjustments. Once I had set the spring height at its old level I refitted them - looking rather less "in yer face" than the previous red and yellow livery.

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With the springs and shocks refitted I tightened up all the suspension bolts and lowered the car off the axle stands. I shouldn't need to jack it up again now and can manoeuvre the car around as I need to.

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I managed to source a gear change lever using an Internet based network of motorcycle breakers. That just leaves the water transfer pipe to source and it appears that my recent joining of the UK Honda CX500 group has been fruitful as one of the members has a spare that he will sell me. I've decided to route the water pipe to the rear of the engine - that is to take the shortest route, rather than run along the side of the engine, across the front and back along the other side to the radiator.

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I've removed the gear linkage to give it a coat of paint and to adjust the fixing points to ensure ot doesn't foul the bodywork (just moving washers from one side to another really)

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It looks like I'm getting closer and closer to the rewiring which does make me slightly nervous.

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Roger

Engine in - now I need the bits that are missing

Tap washers worked a treat

Engine now installed

Having received the radiator back from its testing and minor repair, a quick coat of paint was in order. I'd looked through a Frosts catalogue and seen that special radiator paint was over £12 a can. Having questioned the radiator repairers about what they used, they suggested the use of smooth black Hammerite, and as I happened to have a tin of satin black, then a few ££s saved there.
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I had noticed that one of the rubber radiator mounting bushes was missing when I dismantled the car - in its place was a rather crudely cut down suspension bush. Whilst I don't doubt I could have eventually found the correct rubber from a breakers, it hardly seemed worth the bother. So, instead I went to my local hardware store and bought 4 rubber tap washers for just under £2. Two of these were larger and fitted fairly well in the opening in the radiator shroud. The two smaller washers acted as spacers between the shroud and the fixing post. Once the retaining bolt was tightened the washers expanded and filled the shroud hole quite nicely. I have to confess that I am a little bemused by the position of the radiator, and its "occupant cooking" capability. I'm thinking of fabricating an aluminium shroud to cover the lower part of the radiator but have some sort of shutter that can be opened/closed to act as a heater when needed, but to stop getting some of the heat in the car in summer (that's the less cold, rainy period between May and September for non UK readers). I still need to fabricate a couple of brackets to support the bottom of the radiator - I think attached to the bulkhead will suffice.

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On the subject of radiators, I had removed and dismantled the small 5-bladed fan (14 mm diameter) that had been rather poorly attached to the radiator shroud with a battered metal support frame. Knowing that overheating had been a problem for some Honda engined JZR owners, I wanted a more efficient fan as the turbo engine had two radiators, both with fans. Looking through the various kit car accessory catalogues, it appeared that the smallest fan I could buy was 7 inches in diameter. This would be too big for the space available so I opted to buy (Ebay again) a second hand 10 bladed fan from a big Triumph motorbike that had good fixing brackets so that I could easily secure it to the bulkhead behind the radiator. A couple of other thoughts come to mind - as I'm doing away with the rather dangerous (and never used by me) front mounted petrol tank, I have a hole in the bonnet where the filler cap poked through. I'm thinking of enlarging that hole and adding an air scoop. This will benefit the engine cooling, and could possibly be used to get colder air to the carbs (more on that later). I'm also wondering whether I can fabricate a duct to take the hot air from behind the radiator to the sides of the bonnet where I already have vents.

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My can of engine case paint had arrived by post so I set about giving it a good coat of satin black. Having donned the mask and opened the garage door to get good ventilation I managed to get most done before the light starting fading. Its probably not best to try painting when you can't see what you're doing but fortunately, an inspection on the following day revealed that I had only missed a very small area which was soon "touched up".

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Now that the engine had been painted I could set about refitting it. The use of an old piece of carpet was an excellent substitute for a more sophisticated means of moving the engine from the front of the garage to the workshop area at the back. With the block and tackle in place, the engine was wrapped in some old foam sheeting and the lifting straps wrapped around that to protect its new coat of paint. It didn't take long to get the engine up and over the steering rack and into position. I placed the rubber boot around the drive output shaft and jiggled the propshaft to mate with the splines. It all seemed too easy, and of course, it was. After getting the front mounting bolts in place and manoeuvring the single, long rear bolt into its locating lugs I discovered that the propshaft had jumped out and was sitting beside the output shaft. After a quick swear the engine was lifted, swung forward and then dropped back into position, this time ensuring that the propshaft was properly engaged. It does take a little jiggling using a jack under the engine to get the mounting bolts lined up, but it is a simple process and was done in a few minutes. Good, its looking more like a JZR again - time for a cuppa!~
With the engine in place I could take stock of the bits that I still needed - the gearchange pedal arm was missing and the turbo one doesn't fit; a water pipe is needed for the nearside of the engine; one jubilee clip is missing from the carbs (is there really no other fixing other than clamping to the inlet manifold extenders?. I may have to find a means of securing them rather better); all other water pipes are needed as the plumbing on the turbo engine was entirely different; tachometer drive cable needed as the turbo had an electronic one. I'm sure there will be more but that'll do for now.

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My new gearlinkage was delivered today, so I've fitted that. It has much improved joints - not rose jointed, but the next best thing.

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Roger

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Suspension reassembled; engine being prepared

With the delivery of all the suspension ball joints I was able to start putting the front end back together. This should have been a relatively simple job, not made easier by finding that the lower suspension arms were effectively handed because the locating lugs were in different positions on each side of the chassis. The offside lugs were 7 mm further part than the nearside. A quick removal of the already-fitted nearside suspension arm and a quick check found that one lower arm was slightly narrower than the other so a bit of force was applied to fit this one in the lugs that were closer together. From then on it was plain sailing to complete the job. However, I have been slightly concerned about the tracking and the camber not being to specification so I've left the upper ball joints finger tight at the moment before making sure the camber is closer to that required. I'll have to wait for the tracking to be done prefessionally once the car is running again. ~

Having painted the pedal box and pedals, a quick clean up of the pedal shaft and a bit of lubrication, and the box was remounted - looking somewhat better for its coat of paint.

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I had spent much of Saturday afternoon cleaning the remainder of the paint from the engine. Not sure what paint it was but it certainly stuck to the casing - even after a dose of Nitromors stripper. In the end a wire brush on the drill removed the remainder and a quick spray with etching primer made the engine look a tad tidier. I've ordered a can of satin black engine casing paint so will finish the job off during the week when it arrives, and then refit the engine.

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Sam Day arrived on Sunday having decided that the engine should be turned over to circulate the oil while he was here. We whipped off the rocker covers and took out the plugs, and then suitably armed with a large battery and leads Sam turned the engine over until oil appeared on the rocker shafts. The process was repeated again with the plugs back in place. All seemed fine.

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The principal reason for Sam coming over was to review the wiring of the car. That didn't take long because there wasn't much wiring left! We did agree where the CDI unit should be located, together with the regulator/rectifier, and the coils. As for the coils, Sam announced that the two sets I had were of no use as they were both only suitable for the turbo engine. Looks like another hunt on Ebay tonight. The other bit of buying I need to do is for the brake lines. Following suggestions from various sources I will be getting flexible hoses made up to avoid the problems of the copper pipes fracturing that have been reported on some cars. This will take in the master cylinder to T piece, and the connection between the nearside and offside T pieces.

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The weekends jobs were completed by the application of a final coat of chassis black on the front hubs and new ball joints, and a clean up of the shock absorber bolts which had been painted the original red colour of the chassis. As the bolts are stainless, a quick clean with the coarser polishing mop had them back to their natural state within minutes. Unfortunately, the springs are painted red and the shock absorbers they surround are painted yellow, so I need to dismantle them and repaint them - not exactly sure on the colour scheme yet. Trouble is that we moved to this house around three months ago and not everything has found a proper home yet. Hunt as I did, I could only find one spring compressor in the garage so another more concerted attempt is required during the week.

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As I have very little wiring left in the car now, I need to rewire everything. Most of the basics are in place with the wiring and the connectors for the engine, CDI unit, and regulator / rectifier, but the lighting, horn, neutral light, stop switch and so on need to be sorted so I've bought a kit of motorcycle connectors and a crimping tool (Ebay again). Much careful studying of the wiring diagram is called for I think!

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Roger

Even the good bits are bad......

....with apologies to the Tremeloes (you need to be a certain age to remember that song!)

With a second coat of POR 15 on the chassis, I turned my attention to the front suspension which I had assumed was in good condition, but I was wrong. On lifting up the nearside suspension unit to dismantle it I was surprised to find some significant play in the lower ball joint. Examination of the bottom joint showed it to be moving up and down by about 3/16 inch. By tightening the nut I could lose the free play, but the castellated nut was by now so far below the hole in the ball joint shank that it would have been pointless to fit it. I guess a couple of thick washers would solve that problem, but once the ball joint was removed it was apparent that it was virtually seized. I checked the upper ball joint and found a split in the rubber cover. On checking the other side I find that a captive nut is used with no provision for a split pin. Definitely new items required here I thought, and while I'm at it, I'll get two new track rod ends too. Reference to Fred Martin's excellent JZR manual gave me the information I needed to order parts, so a quick check on Ebay resulted in the purchase of pairs of upper and lower ball joints and a pair of track rod ends - all Quinton Hazell and at very reasonable prices. Just as a footnote - I had purchased a Haynes manual for the Mark IV Ford Cortina, just so that I had technical information about the front suspension. Unfortunately the manual does not show the lower ball joint or appear to make any reference to it! That was (another) wasted purchase.

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Another day and the front chassis is now finished with a final coat of black chassis paint. Time to turn my attention to the suspension.
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Sam Day had managed to deliver the engine before Christmas, strategically choosing one of the few snow-free days. I keep eyeing up the engine as it sits on the garage floor and debating with myself what colour to paint it. It needs a bit of cleaning up first - that is the removal of the old paint. I think I'll opt for black on the engine but polish up the ally bits to match the rocker covers. Saying "remove the paint from the engine" sounds very simple, but in practise it turned out to be a very long-winded job. The paint on the engine was rather sporadic - some here, some there, but not completely covering the casing. I tried a sample patch with my trusty Nitromors only to find that it turned into a paste and then hardened again. Never seen that before! Plan B sounds necessary - whatever plan B is.

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Sam had suggested that I get the radiator pressure tested whilst it was out of the car so a quick visit to my local radiator specialist and a £10 fee should determine whether it is OK or needs refurbishment. Knowing that overheating can be a problem if the cooling system is not in top condition, this seems a sensible investment. After 24 hours the radiator was declared sound from a pressure test point of view, but a small amount of soldering was necessary where the shroud had parted company with the core.

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All the suspension parts ordered through Ebay turned up on Friday so it looks like a busy weekend for me as I can start to reassemble both suspension units, and the newly refurbished pedal box which looks a little more presentable in its new black livery.

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Roger