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31st December 2007........Well I didn't make it. The battery was fine but she wouldn't turn over very fast, so would not start. I took the starter motor to bits, cleaned and oiled it, then put it back and still she wouldn't turn over fast enough to work. I tried the starter from SHW but that was stuck so no joy there. So I've sent an SOS to spot for advice. Roll on 2008.
30th December 2007........Still feel no better as I was drinking again last night, so progress was slow. I manage to get the seal in place but it takes forever, then I put the first part of the exhaust on so I can give her a go. By the afternoon I'm ready to try and start her. I double check everything is connected and then finally connect the battery. I get myself poised for the noise as she bursts into life and turn the key. Bugger!! The battery's flat. Then guess what...my bloody charger wouldn't work. This thing was reasonably new and I've only used it a few times. What is it with China! I buy the best money can buy, on a £3.99 China made battery charger and it works 4 times then packs up. I want to get her going again in 2007 and I've only got one day left. Will I make it?
29th December 2007........I must start here by adding that I'm not feeling 100% this weekend as I must have had a dodgy prawn or something, unless the beer, wine, port, sherry etc. I've been drinking was off. The inlet manifold goes on as does the water system including the radiator. I then made a new accelerator linkage as Spot keeps going on about the old one. I put the proper nut on the clutch cable which seems to have made no difference at all, (thanks again Spot, it took bloody ages). All the cables are put on and then I notice a seal on the bench. Bugger!! As soon as I see it I remember that I hadn't put the new one on the cam shaft housing. I give up here and leave it until tomorrow.
Weekend of 22nd December 2007...Started putting the engine back together again but my help was needed with the Christmas arrangements so not very much time was spent. Still the head went on and the cam. I had set these up on the bench during the week before. I now have the big valve head with the fast road cam set-up, but need three cam housing gaskets to make it work. I've tried three cam housing's, as two have been skimmed to different levels. It took ages...using different valve adjusters and gasket thickness's. The cam belt was put on correctly this time, then the oil pump and distributor went on and the timing set-up. I also managed to get the exhaust manifold on and the four into two bit goes on in one piece which makes things easier for me, I had to jack the nearside engine up slightly first.
9th December 2007..........Only spent a couple of hours in the garage as I attended the VBOA meeting in Luton which went on a bit. I did manage to set-up 7 of the 8 valve clearances on my big valve head, using the tweaked 2.3 cam. I ran out of time to do the last one as Alex wasn't very well and being as I'm a new man, I didn't want to leave it all to Joanne.
3rd December 2007..........Monday and we check out of our 5 star hotel leaving the loo looking like the Hendon skid pan and go to the barn. We mainly clear up and move things around to make it easier for Edd when he's on his own, but we do make a new offside engine mount, weld it up and make it look nice. I am honoured with t he purple head. It's a bit like the American purple heart only it's an old knackerd slant four head....painted purple! This, I'm told, is for me to use as a tester to see if my big valve head can be drilled for new unleaded seats. Yeh right, I'm really going to do that! Spot and I leave at about 1:30 for home, leaving with a sad heart, that not as much as we would've liked to get done, done. Still progress was made, we all had a good time and we all got together for a Christmas drink or three. Don't you just love a happy ending.
2nd December 2007.........Sunday and most were the worst for wear. I, of cou rse, was fit and ready to go. (If you believe that you'll believe anything). We travel over to the barn and I pass a silver Vectra broken down in the lanes but think nothing of it and drive on by. It turned out to be Sid and Spud. Big trouble as well, fuel pump they think. It was time to call 'a very nice man' who would take them home. Flod and Deon left early afternoon and eventually the tow truck turned up to take Sid and Spud home to Yorkshire. Edd, Spot and myself worked until about 7:30 then went down the pub. A stop at the kebab van on the way back to the Travel Lodge, then sleep.
1st December 2007..........Saturday and I wait for Spot to arrive and unload some goodies for me then we set off for Edd's barn for a Viva weekend. We get to the barn at about 1:15 and Flod has BBQ us a beef stew. Yes that's right he's done a beef stew on the BBQ, and bloody lovely it was to. It was Edd's birthday and he wanted stew, so stew he had. He also had a birthday cake in the shape of two boobs but I didn't get my camera out quick enough. For some strange reason I had the 'mick' taken out of me because I tried to make a bolt out of a nail by trying to cut a tread in it. All I ended up with was 'nail rage' and a broken die. Now I thought this was a good idea but nobody else seemed to think so and just couldn't understand why I didn't buy a bolt in the first place. They don't know a good idea when they hear one. I set about trying to set-up my big valve head with a new VF cam Deon had, but we couldn't get the gaps anywhere near, so that's another plan out the window. After that I try and help with the strenghening of the chassis for the Crayford. I even manage to weld a bit and was highly praised by Sid who's welding is excellant. (One day I'll get it right). Most of my help is in the form of handing things to people or cutting bits of metal to fit, but still at least I'm useful. Present were Spot, Edd, Mark, Sid, Spud, Flod, Deon, Dave Axton and myself in the barn and for the meal in the evening we were joined by Shirley and Tony.
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