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31st January 2008......Like the phoenix from the ashes DHR roared into life last night after I connected the battery and turned her over. The good news is the small water leak from the manifold has been cured and she seemed to run nicely for a good 15 minutes. The only thing which wasn't working was the rev counter. As I danced around the garage with joy I realised I'm nearly there. A few little things left to do but she really is nearly finished. With all the garage doors open to clear the air I finished the interior trim and put new black material down the front door posts, so the inside is complete. (Now with working heated screen of course). She now has an original GT headlining, (although it's one made from two), which doesn't look to bad. All I need now is to run her in properly and not go drag racing again just yet!
29th January 2008.....I had a visitor last night which made a nice change. Tony popped in to look over the front anti-roll bar and inspect the car and my garage. The garage is a mess right now, what with my newly arrived goodies from Spot and working in there everyday without tidying up. Still we managed to get the roll bars measurements etc. (well Tony did), and he helped me find an easy way to change my top hose. I won't share my stupidity here but needless to say he thought of something I didn't. I hope my missus doesn't read this bit as I also did something else really stupid, I left my gas fire on all night. When I woke at about half past four I realsised what I'd done. A few pounds worth of calor gas wasted.
28th January 2008.....Believe it or not I managed to put everything back on her tonight after mending the inlet manifold. I used blue Hoylmer, (don't know if I've spelt that right Flod), to help seal the totally un-necessary water hole in the front part of the manifold. What I didn't do was fill her up with water and start her tonight, it was late, I was tired and I needed a cup of tea. So that pleasure will wait until tomorrow.
27th January 2008......Exhaust went back on and I think I've made a slightly better job of it this time, although I still think it could do with altering slightly at the back end. Rocker cover was put on and I bleed the brakes again. Then the moment of truth - would she start. Of course she did. Surely you didn't doubt it. I had a small oil leak from the front of the rocker cover and the bloody rev counter didn't work again, but she sounded okay and on tick over I had 70lbs oil pressure as usual. The new oil temperature switch also worked. The only other problem I could see was the same small water leak from the inlet manifold. Paul told me to take the manifold off and try and fix it. I know he's right but I didn't want to. I cured the oil leak and ran her for a while at low rev's, only to run out of petrol. (Pilllock). With fuel in her she started again and all seems fine apart from the water leak. I finally gave in to pressure and removed the manifold. Putting a ruler across the flat which bolts to the head I found that it was very slightly bowed. What makes matter worse is the fact that where the leak is it's a dead end so I don't know why the hole's even there. Looking in the manuals it shouldn't be there. So over the coming evenings I shall be curing this leak but now know she's back. Life is good!!!!!
Tony as you are probably the only person who reads this rubbish, give me a ring about coming over. I won't put the anti-roll bar on till I hear from you.
26th January 2008.......With the headlining glued and dry on the front end the new front laminated screen went in without to many swear words. I didn't scratch or break anything. Next I wired up the rear screen heater using a diagram sent by Spot and using an in-line fuse and a relay. (Bloody technical stuff!). Putting a hot cup of tea on the rear parcel shelf, I turned the heater on and it worked! First time as well. (Not so technical).
24th January 2008.......With the rear section of headlining in place I tried to fit the rear screen. It was a bugger of a job to do by yourself, but it's in. These Australian rubbers do look okay but the top corners are just not quite high enough. I need the lads to look at this with me, but for now it's okay. I finished gluing the front part of the headlining when I got a call on my new 'garage to house walkie talkie', telling me my granddaughter had arrived, so that was it for the night. I got these from Ron at work and they w ork a treat. No more shouting up the garden and no more my tea getting cold! The neighbours will be happy.
23rd January 2008.......Made sure the heated rear screen cable was in place before re-fitting the headlining and earth the other side. I started at the rear and worked forward, gluing the edge and holding it in place with Joanne's pegs and some of my clamps. I've done this over a couple of nights so as to let the glue dry properly.
20th January 2008........Sunday morning and I started re-fitting the headlining. This took much longer than I thought it would and it wasn't finished by the time I went in at night. The bit around the back window took ages. I ended up taking the rear seats and side panels off after faffing around for what seemed like ages. Perhaps next weekend is a bit ambitious! What I was struggling to do by myself was put the rear screen in. I'll try again in the week.
19th January 2008........The bloke at L R Gawley in Markyate found the correct solenoid for my strange start motor. He also said it is a 'home made' starter. By who and why I don't know, but he did say it has more power than an original GT one. Anyway I bought it and fitted it back home in the garage, then put the starter on the car. Well blow me down she started first time. I did it three times and she started every time. Job done. Right, what I then decided to do was all the little unfinished jobs while she was off the road and hope to finish them by next weekend. Over the evenings in the week I'd been gluing the calico cloth along the edges of the headlining, so I finished that and set it aside to dry overnight. I then started to put my extra front anti-roll bar on. When I sorted the new bushes out I found the bumper bolts I'd lost and the spare cam adjusters I knew I'd bought at Billing but couldn't find.
16th January 2008........Well it's happened! One of the moments in my life I never  envis aged - I've become a Grandad. Me! I'm only 36 for god's sake!!!!!!! Okay a bit older, but I only feel 36. Kara Rose Hutchinson arrived at 12:34 on Wednesday the 16th of January. She weighed in at 7lbs 5oz. (Funny how they still weigh babies in old money!). David phoned me at 2:20am with the good news. It had started Tuesday lunchtime so Joanne and I hadn't been to sleep and at four o'clock gave up and had a cup of tea. It's not even my baby and I don't get a nights sleep! Still she's gorgeous and lovely and a real smasher. I might even name my next Viva after her.
13th January 2008.........Removed my front and rear screen, the side windows and all the interior which held the headlining in place, then took out the headlining. I wanted to re-enforce the edge of the headling by glueing some calico along the edges. This will allow me to pull it tighter when I put the new screens and rubbers in.
12th January 2008..........Edd came round to check the timing and try and clean up SHW's starter motor for me. I left DHR's funny one at a repair shop in Markyate in the morning. The bloke said he hadn't ever seen one like it before and thinks it may  be a home made one!!! She was still turning over as if I had a flat battery even when we had two batteries on her. Edd had to go to work in the afternoon so we called it a day at two o'clock. I then spent a few hours with David, (my boy), cleaning and fitting his new baby seat in his car ready for the arrival of the new baby which is due this coming week. A Grandad at my age - it's not fair. I also came up with a novel way of cleaning my overalls, I jet washed them.
6th January 2008............I suppose I'd better start by saying 'Happy New Year', but your all probably fed up with hearing that by now. I managed to fix my battery charger today, it was the cable which must have had a break in it somewhere. I put a new bit on and it seems fine. The bad news is that the starter motor from SHW still will not work even after I'd stripped it down. (Probably why it doesn't work). I have found a place fairly local to me who will have a look at them for me so I will try and get both starters over to them next weekend. I can't wait to drive her again!
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