The Build
Before I start this build report I'd like to thank my boss at Reuters, Steve Chalmers, for letting me work four day weeks for the duration of the build. This gave me each friday to try and make progress while having the factory available for support all day. Support from the factory is only available half day's on Saturday's. It would be useful if the factory had someone 'on call' for telephone build queries at weekends as this is the time when most people are building their cars.
Friday 11 February 2000
The Arrival
Well, the day finally arrived, work this week has been a real
pain, having to work four long days to make up for having today
off but it's all been worth it.
The Caterham van arrived at 8:55 this morning 2 1/2 hours early
!! (Tim ward had said he'd be leaving about 10 and arriving
about 11:30). After lugging my superheavy chassis into the
garage and stashing the wheels and roll bar in the shed, the
seats, wheel arches, cycle wings, hood and bonnet in the office
(bedroom 4) sat down for a cuppa. The kit arriving early meant
I'd had to cancel my haircut appointment, some decisions are
tough haircut/build car ? mmmm let me think :-)
Before I rabbit on any further I have a confession to make
(before Simon Parker grasses on me) I bought my axle stands and
trolley jack at Halfords, the only colour they came in was
'Caterham Yellow' and guess what colour the car is 'Caterham
Yellow', now how many people out there have got colour
co-ordinated trolley jacks and axle stands, I bet they don't sell
them in Azure Blue, but I suppose with all Nige's money he
probably had them resprayed :-)
Front Suspension
Having spent the last two weeks reading the build manual on the
train, I started right away on the front suspension. Everything
went fine until I'd got the front LH upright on and tried
torquing up the bottom locknut (after doing up the top one
tightish) minor problem with the turned down nut (I've got wide
track suspension) the angle at which the bottom bolt goes through
the lower wishbone is such that with the top ball joint done up
you cant get a socket on to tighten the nut and torque it. Just
then the bell rang, visitor no 1 Simon Parker, in on his lunch
break. After some drinking of tea and scratching of heads we
decided to knock out the top ball joint bolt and then torque up
the bottom one and then refit the top one, problem solved, but
not in the Bl**dy Manual !
After I'd done the LH side had a quick spot of lunch then started
on the RH side. That went together fine, with only the bottom
wishbone chamfered washers a bit of a squeeze. End result, two
front suspensions done, only 15 washers left over :-) Spares are
always useful.
Steering
Next job steering rack and column, rack went in a dream after
heeding advice of a fellow Se7ener (Ray Pearce I think) I would
the steering all the way out to the LH side and then slid the
steering arm and column through the hole and then slid the other
end through its hole and voila one rack in place and no damaged
bodywork.
Fitted the steering column, only to wonder afterwards whether
there really was a bottom bush fitted by Caterham, so took the
column apart again and checked, yes it was there, so refitted
upper column.
It's now 10:30pm I'm knackered but happy, no doubt I'll ache
tomorrow.
Apologies to Peter C, I haven't measured the box shafts, I
promise I'll do it tomorrow.
One minor question, I've been sent a rear ARB, is this normal on
normal (i.e. non suplerlight) de-dion K series, if so shall I
fit it or is it not necessary on 'normal' cars.
That's it for now, goodnight all.....
Saturday 12 February 2000
Rear Suspension
Productive if slightly annoying day today, Started work on
the rear suspension, but (don't laugh JJ) missed the bit (in the
supersport ARB section !) which said fit the DeDion tube on the
chassis. (ROFL) so off I went and built one end of the rear
axle, then Malcolm (non-Se7ener) said if we fit the other end how
do we get the half shafts into the diff. Flick back five pages
in the manual and Oops 'fit the DeDion tube to the chassis - oh
bugger. Never mine we'll fit it half assembled, it's a bit
heavier but can be done. Rest of rear suspension except for the
uprights now fitted.
The pictures above show the lump which has to be cut off the diff so that the De Dion tube doesn't smack into it and also the mods done to the diff so the rear anti roll bar can fit. The rib on the top of the diff needs to be ground away otherwise the rear ARB hits the diff. I also put some clear plastic tubing round the ARB (and also the handbrake cable) to stop it rattling and chafing on the diff.
Sunday 13 February 2000
Rear Suspension (cont.)
The day started with a feeling of achievement followed by a few
setbacks.
After thinking I'd nearly sorted the rear suspension we had a few
setbacks, mainly because we'd missed bits in the manual thinking
they were for Watts linkage or Supersport ARB. This left us with
the DeDion tube fully assembled but the trailing arms and rear
dampers not fitted. After fitting the trailing arms and trying
to follow the manual about locating the lower rear damper bolts,
we realised that the dampers connect using the very long bolt all
the way through from the back of the DeDion tube and not the
shorter bolt into the threaded bush on the bottom of the DeDion
tube, what is this hole for.
Then I had a chat with Johnty about rear ARBs, I can't fit mine
since the captive nuts on the bottom of the seat belt mount boxes
are missing.
I'd also had trouble (by following the manual) fitting the cheese
wedge plate with the rubber bush for the steering column. The
manual says to pop rivet it after the column is in place, I found
this impossible and had to take the column out, then the bottom
column bush came out when I put the column back in.
The handbrake went on OK but that are the two rubber grommets for
on the cable ?
The front brake pipes should connect to the callipers using
'banjo bolts' I don't seem to have these, does this still apply
or do the unions just bolt straight into the callipers.
It turned out that I'd been sent the flexible hose kit for
the uprated front brakes which has a female union on each end
whereas the standard brakes have a female union on one end and a
banjo connection which a bolt goes through on the other end.
That's it for the day, I'm off now to soak my aching body.
Friday 18 February 2000
Part of today was spent bashing round the M25 to Hemel
Hempstead where an ex Karting mate has a car spares shop, picked
up the front stick on number plate and some tools and oil.
Rest of yesterday spend fitting rear ARB, yes you can fit it with
the whole rear suspension on ! Bolts for rear dampers now in
proper place and all brake pipes fitted. End of Friday, another
night going to bed knackered.
Saturday 19 February 2000
Bleeding the Brakes
Saturday dawned and I was raring to go, pottering here and there,
while I'm waiting I'll fill and bleed the brakes. Cover the side
of the car with polythene to protect the paint from brake fluid.
Fill the reservoir and start bleeding, mmm not much feel to this
pedal, loads of air being bled, but not getting any less. Doh
what's that dripping on my hand (i.e. the one on the brake
pedal), bollocks, the master cylinder is pissing fluid all over
the top of the footwell and its running down the side of the car,
all over my lovely paint, shit.
Quickly mopped it up and cleaned the paintwork, polished the
paint and left it to see if it would peel, well hacked off.
Check the master cylinder to find the leak, BOTH unions not
tight, so much for Caterham QA, what with that and loose jubilee
clips on the fuel filler hoses I'm not impressed, boy is Tim Ward
going to get some grief Monday Morning !
Andrew Winfer comes round just as I've cleaned up and we finish
bleeding the brakes.
Installing the Engine
Then Peter Carmichael phones up, 'when are you going to put the
engine in?', 'uh today I suppose' is my reply, 'OK I'll be round
this afternoon', 'Oh shit, I'm not ready for that.', quick lets
get the engine hoist from Simons garage, good job he left me the
keys. Oh no there's some bolts and the sling missing. Frantic
searching and phone calls turns up the bolts and some slings
courtesy of Ian White (thanks). Just fitting the speedo drive
circlip, ping !, oh shit where did that go, 20 minutes of
searching the garage to find that.
Next problem, can't find half the engine mount bolts, god I hate
the way the bolts are packaged in this kit, why is the
Miscellaneous bag of bolts bigger than all of the others. Off to
B & Q for some bolts (A.H.C. were shut since it was now 2:30),
back I come with bolts, by which time Peter C has completely
rebuilt my front suspension, with correct caster and new
lightweight (only one locking ring) upside down dampers. By now
Peter Duce is here with his digital camera to take pictures
(should be on the FTP site tomorrow).
Three hours later and ENGINE IN !!!!!
6:16 PM peter slithers away on his bald ACB10s on a wet road,
rather him than me.
Today we've made monumental progress. I can't thank the following enough :
Peter C - without whom I'd never had got the engine together and in.
Andrew Winfer - for all day help, without food, another IOU on the slate.
Malcolm Trounce - non Se7ener but is learning fast.
Neil Platt - came round for half an hour and ended up chauffeuring me to B&Q
and back, I'll never be unkind to BMW drivers again.
Paul White - and his anonymous mate with the huge garage and engine sling.
Simon Parker - for leaving me his garage keys so I could get the hoist -
anyone want some engine bits :-)
Nige V7SLR - for getting me a tube of Sikaflex for my wings.
Think that's all, if I've missed anyone, sorry and thanks.
Phew, better read the manual now, and find out what comes next.
Nite all.
Sunday 20 February 2000
Wanted De Dion LH Drive Shaft - Part No 79061
I suspect after yesterday's build report that someone put the
kiss of death on me by saying, 'god Roy you're making great
progress', because today half my progress is undone.
While passing some time this morning with my friend Richard who
came round to look at the car I said 'while you're here we can do
up the rear halfshaft nuts'. Out comes Darren Elmslie's big
300lb/ft torque wrench and the 41mm socket. We started with the
left hand side, I heaved and heaved, then Richard helped me and
then the nut started going round easier, mmm so I though we'll
slacken it off and start again, mmm it won;t come off.... we put
some marks on all the relevant moveable bits ad confirmed, yes
the nut was turning but nothing else was, we'd stripped the
threads on a nut and thread designed to take 200lb/ft+ ! Well
pissed off.
After a quick phone call to Peter C and DVA, the advice was split
the nut and take it off and see if the threads are recoverable,
well two hours of cutting and chiselling later, lots of nut
pieces and knackered threads on the half shaft, and you Academy
boy's think you had trouble with your build, PAH !
So progress today -6 hours and that was after being woken up at
random intervals during the night by our house alarm going off, I
need a drink, no more seven stuff for a day or two.
Fed up of Fleet
Sunday 27 February 2000
OK it's 04:48 (yes ten to five on a Sunday morning) and I'm
frozen to the keyboard because our boiler packed in today, (bye
bye engine fund 8-( )
Couldn't sleep so I've updated my CV, read two digests and am now
doing the build report.
Had a result with Caterham, they're going to fix my shaft FOC and
get it back to me this week. Manifold due back Tuesday so I
should have that on Tuesday or Wednesday night. and drive shaft
another night.
Cooling system all fitted, big tip here, buy the silicone (don't
flame me if it shouldn't have an 'e' on the end) hose set. There
is a 5/8 hose which runs from the water pump to the lower heater
connector, the pipe on the pump that this 5/8 hose is supposed to
fit on is a tight fit (like 20 minutes to get it on even using
Hellerine), with the silicone hose set you get a J tube which
just slips on, only drawback is you need to fit an inline
connector and then some 5/8 hose for it to reach the heater.
Got the engine bay wired up except for connecting the battery
master switch, can't make head nor tail of the manual (PC
couldn't help either) since my switch was fitted and part wired
at the factory. I now have 2 red wires from the master switch,
one red wire on the solenoid, one thick brown wire on the engine
loom near the ECU and two (one thick one thin) wires in a single
ring terminal on the loom and haven't a clue what goes where.
Should the power to the ECU go through the master switch, if so
what is the drawback of taking out the master switch key when the
car is parked, will the immobiliser still be powered ?
Headlights are fitted, first one took 1 hour, second one 15
minutes.
That's about it for the build, now some other stuff.
Andrew Winfer was helping me with the build and brought over his
Purple Beast, a 5yr old Swindon stage 1 (218BHP claimed) 2.0L
Vauxhall engined 7 and let me drive it. Managed 90 round a
sweeping left hander round our business park and 120 between jct
4A and 4 on the M3 (1.5 mile stretch), the noise is fantastic, it
pops and bangs and has lots of reverberation, it sounded
brilliant as we went under the motorway bridge.
Back on the job tomorrow finishing off the air horns and starting
the interior.
SVA here we come.
Sunday 5 March 2000
A Fixed Drive Shaft and Buggered Brake Pads
Captains log stardate Sunday 5 March 2000 08:32
The last two days have been a mixture of frustration and
euphoria.
I had Friday off work to fit my newly fixed drive shaft (thanks
Caterham - repaired FOC) replace the calliper and get the back
end of the three legged horse back on the ground. The drive
shaft seemed to go in fine, then it was time for the calliper.
Put it back on top of the disc and found pad gap too small - mmm.
Tried pushing and shoving the piston and levering the pads (ouch -
luddite) but still no joy.
Phoned Caterham for new pads which I'll now need as my brand new
pads are now decidedly second hand, that'll be 23.00 + VAT and we
only sell them in sets of four. But I did get my missing air
filter.
Quick phone call to Peter C and - what you need is a handbrake
resetting tool, mmm not got one of those. It's now 5:15 on
Friday, off to Ford garage, parts man says 'no we don't do tools
(except behind the parts counter - Ed.) you'll have to bring it
to the workshop. Off we go to Halfords - 'we've had quite a few
people ask for those recently'. Off to Camberley Auto Factors -
' yes we've got one of those it's on the Draper rack, ooh we seem
to have sold the last one, but we have this incredibly well
engineered bloody expensive sykes Pickavant (sp?) one here, but
our computer doesn't know how much it is so we can't sell it to
you even if you did want to pay through the nose for it. Quick
mail to the list elicited one reply from Bill Ayre (sp?) in
Beckenham (thanks for the offer Bill). Tried my mate who owns A1
Motor Spares in Hemel. He had one in the garage.
Went to bed Friday night 11:30 totally p*ssed off. Second cock
up on the car and two weeks to SVA.
I go Saturday 7am to Hemel, Sorry Roy, couldn't find it , but I
do have these Draper ones on the shelf. (part no 22349 - ABS
Brake Servicing Tool price 17.59), also bought one of the old
fashioned 'bend the bar and move the arm against a pointer'
torque wrenches to help do up my drive shaft nuts since one is
left handed. This also gives me a feel of how much torque I am
applying before I bugger the threads (price 9.99 part no 34487).
Saturday, used the new brake tool and within 10 minutes had the
wheel back on, bloody marvellous.
The First Engine Run
Andrew Winfer came over again (I think he's got the build bug)
and we finished prepping the car for engine run. Pushed her
outside cranked for oil pressure - fine, put fuse for fuel pump
in and cranked again, whirr whirr whirr - nothing ! Bugger !
Checked fuel pump fuse, OK tried checking voltage at pump
nothing. Desperation - phoned Caterham SHOWROOM to see if anyone
in their workshop. (When will Caterham provide weekend build
support, even if on a mobile) I was put through to Will Jordan,
who sold me the car and had just built his third. Reset the fuel
cut off switch (know in the Avionics trade as FUCOFF) plugged the
plug back in (scratched the hands to buggery) and turned key
whirr whirr vrooom vrooom !!!!! YES. Got bottle of Champers out
of fridge and christened car. God it's better than sex ! :-)
Bleeding the Cooling System
With a K series engine it's vital to get all airlocks out of the cooling system. this is achieved by getting the bleed hole in the radiator to be the highest point in the cooiling system. For cars with a heater the nose has to go higher because of the height of the heater. If you still have the engine hoist then put the sling round the ends of the top front chassis member whre the crossed chassis members meet the outside tube. Then lift the front of the car using the engine hoist. This is much easier than using a jack and axle stands and you can get the car a lot higher.
Reversed car back into garage after bleeding cooling system and
put in Water Wetter (oops forgot that one). Stuck carpet to seat
back and rubber thingy strip to wings and wing protectors and
went to Andrew's for tea (thanks Alison) and to watch Top Gun
with a bottle of wine.
I'm now about to go off and fit rear wings and wing protectors
then tunnel carpet and cover and harnesses - lookin good.
Sunday 12 March 2000
Interior
The SVA test is this Friday so I suppose that means that I should have finished
the build by now, well I have, almost.
Since the last report, I've fitted the seats, harnesses, FIA roll bar and boot
cover. The tonneau is still to be done but I wanted to do that when I wasn't
rushed (or pissed,) I tried finishing the boot cover after 3 (large) glasses of
wine and nearly messed up the last couple of poppers.
I may alter my seating position to the shorter position since I have about a
four inch gap behind the seat when in a comfortable position. The footwell
feels very narrow and with normal trainers I can heel and toe all three pedals
simultaneaously (almost) I kept hitting the brake on gear changes, it's better
with racing boots but I think I need new ones, my 10 year old leather Zappelli
karting boots are a bit tight now.
Miscellaneous
Over the weekend I bled the brakes again, did a few short test drives, god 4000
RPM comes round quick in a 6spd.
I fitted the front cycle wings and wing stays (yes they help) and painted the
inside of the wings with stoneguard. I bit the bullet on the repeaters after
trying to bodge the Caterham ones onto the side of the car with tape for the
SVA (to be removed later) and cut a hole in each side of the engine bay and
fitted my Ford Transit indicators (exact location of hole centre is 503 mm
forward of rear of bonnet and 60mm below bottom bonnet line, hole size 20mm).
Rear wheel is on the carrier and held tight with luggage strap as the 14 inch
ones bounce around a bit.
I'm gonna cut the number plates as short as possible to prevent them being
knocked off but still can't decide whether to stick a normal number plate on
the bottom of the nosecone or put a sticky one on the top by the 7 badge.
The bolted on rear wing protectors look very neat (thanks for the tip DVA).
Just about ready for the SVA, anyone been to Gillingham got any tips.
Post build check Friday morning 0800.
Look out for the Friday evening report.
A final thanks to all those who've helped both practically and with advice.
I'm now looking forward to some safe Sevening.
Friday 17 March 2000
Post Build Check and SVA
Took W111 FLY for her Post Build Check to Dartford. On the way
hit the concrete stretch of the M25 doing 70mph and found the
resonant frequency of the suspension, it nearly made me car sick,
and I was driving :-) The suspension was moving at the same
frequency as the expansion joints in the concrete were coming
along, result car was into minor regular pitch oscillations, not
something I want to repeat.
Arrive at Dartford at 7:30 after being up since 5am, sit around,
drink coffee, buy bits, bacon sarnie, read mags, latest news; 1,
Lotus to sell Elise to states in 2 years, 2 Lotus to make road
going version of 200BHP tin top racer with two seats.
Three hours later Len Unwin returns with the news, 'They're not
laughing' he says, 'does that mean they're crying ?' I reply, 'no
but there are a couple of problems'. Disaster I think, there
goes the SVA and 165 quid down the drain. Three problems,
spacing on the rear A frame not right, we've fixed that, rear
brake pipes should be routed *under* the trailing arms not over,
this is a common fault (then why isn't it in the bloody build
manual), and some Pratt has taken one of the locking rings off
the front dampers, not dangerous, not an SVA failure, but should
be sorted. He knows who he is, don't get me wrong, I'm grateful
for his help putting the engine in but I wish he'd left those
rings on, now I have to take my dampers off and refit the rings.
On to the SVA, arrive 1 1/2 hours early but can't get done sooner
because Geoff is at lunch. Off to Mick Smith's for nice cuppa
then a quick squint at his fettled DVA head and some nice new 14
inch A032Rs and back to the SVA centre, 'right in the bay' shouts
Geoff, 'Oh my god I think, I've got a right one here', bonnet off
three seconds later 'it's failed' says Geoff, my jaw hits the
deck faster than Melinda Messenger's drawers. Not twice in one
day I think, 'these pipes and cables are chafing against the
steering column. Quick reroute and they're OK, I can't take much
more of this stress, it's worse than a driving test !
On through the checks, straining to hear commands from under the
car with lorries revving engines in the shed, next problem,
passenger door is removable, with the FIA bar fitted rear view
mirror doesn't count due to restricted view so we need two fixed
mirrors, I can't fix that I think, off with the sidescreen and
Geoff trots off to his little room, comes back with some studding
just the right size, some spanners and a hammer, sidescreen now
bolted to hinges.
You can't have those twin Air Horns, they were illegal in 1980,
bloody hell blood pressure now through the roof, 'but we don't
test horns so you're OK on that one. Lights get adjusted, car
gets weighed, god what a fat driver :-), brake test on the
rollers, passed, bloody miracle, next test emissions and noise,
95db, great I can do Goodwood.
OK come into my room, bloomin' 'eck 'es going to pass it after all
that, relax now and chat with Geoff and Mick Smith about kits and
new cars they've had in, like new tranny and Galaxy (Shhh, it's a
secret).
35 minutes after arriving I had my MAC !!! Yeehaaa.
Only problem now is keeping below 4000RPM, impossible !! with a 6
spd box, I'm only doing 70 MPH, how can I drive that slow for
another 300 miles ??
Good news is car has now done 200 miles and is part run in.
Off to pub now for a beer.
Peter, you can come round tomorrow to refit my rings :-))
Monday 20 March 2000
Registration
W111 FLY has now been PBC'd SVA'd and Taxed, first run out will be when I get
home this evening when I get home, can't wait.
Finding the Reading VRO was a real pig, if anyone needs to go there - don't ask
me for directions, 1H 20M to get there 25M to get back :-)
Anyone on for an blast round Hampshire next Saturday ?
On the Road at Last
The finished article ! 5 weeks from delivery to on the road. Would I do it again ? YES. I've enjoyed every minute of it, even the times when things went wrong.
I hope this diary proves useful to those who will build cars in the future. If anyone has any suggestions or criticisms feel free to tell me.
Since building my car lsst February, I've been involved in two other builds, Andrew Winfer and I fitted the engine to Stuart Lunn's car (Late 2000 Academy car) and I've been involved in quite a bit of Rob Margel's ongoing build. The biggest problem with that build has been the wiring and the E3 engine which doesn't want to start.
