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24th February 2008.......Firstly I tried to get the speedo working. I'm sure it is the cable that causing the problem because if you push the cable down and hold it in place without the speedo in it turns fine. As soon as you let go the cable rides up and stops working. I've decided to leave it because a) I'll tidy up and find the original one from SHW and b) I've got fed up with it! The rest of the day was spent tidying and making shelves etc. The garage is beginning to look better and I can now walk right round the car. I did give DHR a run to check to see if I still had a leak from the rocker cover but it was fine, I'll now take her to work again tomorrow.
23rd February 2008.......Finally collected the legs and bed of the lathe from Spot's and I got a lift from Paul who went to buy a caravan. He managed to get the legs a nd base in the back of his big pick-up so that was great. Spot had managed to get the thing out of the shed and up to the front of the house on his own - god only knows how he did that by himself, must have had an extra wheatabix! When I got home I set about trying to tidy up the garage, you really couldn't move. I managed to set-up the lathe so removed all the associated lathe bits to one corner and off the workbench.
17th February 2008........What a day. I'd used DHR every day to work and back this week only to find on Thursday I'd developed an oil leak onto the nearside inner wing. It hadn't touched the bonnet, just the front of the inner wing. If I ran the car and rev'd it nothing was coming out, I just couldn't figure out where it was coming from. I guessed at the rocker cover, so I set about removing the cover and re-sealing it. Well the next two attempts I had more oil coming out of DHR than the 'Exxon Valdez'. On one test run the smoke from the exhaust manifold was like Buncefield all over again. So I tried one of John Sharp's ideas, a metal cover to force the oil downwards before it hits the rover cover. Well this had oil coming out from everywhere, so the idea was scrapped. The last attempt and it seemed much better. I still think I will need to re-do it, but all seems okay for now. I must find an aluminum cover, why Vauxhall didn't ever come up with a better design I don't know! I also fitted a new fan belt while I was under the car cleaning up the oil, as I'd used DHR's original and it had stretched really badly. I then gave her her first proper wash, being careful not to get to much water into the still un-sealed screens. Not to many leaks were found, a bit in the boot, the offside door which still hasn't got a door rubber on it and a small leak on the nearside rear side window. Then the missus said I had to clean the other two cars as I'd spent so much time and effort on DHR. Damn it! They don't get the same treatment as DHR though. I just had time to pop to Gregor Marshall's to give him some parts then home for tea. With the garage in a terrible mess not as much was achieved this weekend as I'd hoped.
16th February 2008........Spent the day collecting another load of treasure from Spot's place down in Uckfield. I was hoping to bring the lathe back this time as I had borrowed the school van, but we had to much stuff. I did manage to bring half of it back so that just leaves the legs and bed - the heavy bit! My garage is full to overflowing at the moment as nothing has been sorted out from the last trip down last week. Joanne is moaning that I collect everybody's old stuff and that I don't actually want most of it. As I always say; 'it'll come in handy one day'!
10th February 2008.......Finally got the rev counter going. I had to remake the ends to the coiled bit of wire at the back of the counter, but then she worked. Perhaps I didn't have a good connection before, still she works now. The speedo is a different matter. I took the cable off at the gearbox and ran a drill on it backwards and it worked fine. I then re-connected the cable and went up the road. It worked for about quarter of a mile then stopped and hasn't worked since. Speaking to Spot about this he wondered whether I've lost the plastic bit at the speedo end which stops the cable riding up. I'll have to take it apart again as I can't say I noticed. Met up with Gregor Marshall at long last. We've said we would meet up weeks ago and never made it. It was great to talk Viva's with him. I messed up a bit as he wanted to watch the Rugby but I went on a bit I think. Thanks a lot Gregor. Also meet an old boy who's name I don't know but he lives just up the road from me. He has three 'J' type Vauxhall's from 1936. In good condition and he was really knowledgeable. A Vauxhall mechanic all his life. He even tweaked DHR a bit for me. He has this small dog who he calls 'Gearbox' - brilliant or what! Taking DHR to work again tomorrow - can't wait.
6th February 2008.....Took my baby out for a decent run tonight, Hemel to Greenfields, just north of Toddington. It was the monthly meeting at the Compasses pub and it was dry so I thought why not! She ran like a dream. Oil pressure never dropped below 75, oil and water temperature stayed nice and low, the only thing that moved was the fuel gauge. I really did take it steady there and back, no revving to high or wheel spinning away, just a gentle drive. I sit there with a silly grin on my face watching all the euro-boxes rushing past me, staring at me and wondering 'what the hell is that!' I had a nice enjoyable evening talking cars then a pleasant drive back. I've also decided to take her to work tomorrow again as the weather is going to be dry. That'll be 89 miles covered - nearly enough to go drag racing again!!!!!!
3rd February 2008.....Most of the day was spent at the VBOA meeting in Luton but when I got back home at about four, I took her out for a good run, just over the hour. I bought her some very expensive four star in Dunstable so won't be doing that again and am actively looking for some fuel additive. I must say she ran fine, I had no speedo and no rev counter but everything else worked fine. (If the police are reading this the speedo worked brilliantly). Only problem I have now is a small oil leak from the rear of the engine. This can wait until I've run the car in properly this time.
2nd February 2008.....A big day. I finally fitted the extra front anti-roll bar after finding the lost bolt. The prop was turned 180 degrees to stop the vibration. The gear stick bolt was tightened as was the nearside engine mounting bolt. (You thought I'd forget those didn't you!). The gear stick bolt was a real pain and in the end, part of the centre console was removed to do it. I tried to secure the side window to door rubbers in place, but that didn't work. Think again! Next I attacked the timing which was set but I'm not happy with it, the same applies to the fuel mixture. I then run her up and down the garages to test the brakes and steering and to see if anything fell off. When nothing did, I took her out for about quarter of an hour. I was very, very low on petrol so could go no further. What did strike me was the steering felt so much better. I don't know if it was my imagination but I believe the roll bar has made a difference.
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